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WIlliams posts first triple-double as Bucks roll

Dec 21, 2006 - 5:28 AM MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- Maurice Williams and the Milwaukee Bucks tripled their pleasure against the Miami Heat.

Williams posted his first career triple-double and the Bucks buried the Heat in the second half en route to a 121-95 triumph.

Michael Redd added 28 points, Charlie Villanueva scored all 16 of his points in the second half and Charlie Bell converted four 3-pointers for Milwaukee, which won its fifth straight home contest and shot 63 percent (14-of-22) from the arc.

"We needed it tonight and everyone came out and played well, but I'm really proud of Mo (Williams)," Redd said. "We play a Western-Conference style and that's becoming part of our identity when we win games."

Williams finished with 19 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Along with Villanueva, he led a second-half charge with 12 points and nine assists.

"It's a great accomplishment," Williams said. "Jason Kidd gets so many that another is just like, 'Ok there is 75,' but for me, this is my first. It's like a first child.

"It's a reward, not a goal (to get a triple-double). A goal is to come out and do the things to win a game. If we didn't win this game, it would've been an accomplishment, but not a feel-good accomplishment."

Milwaukee coach Terry Stotts alerted his team to the pending feat.

"Everybody knew if Mo passed them the ball, they were supposed to shoot," Stotts said.

After playing virtually no defense in the second quarter that turned an eight-point lead into a 56-53 deficit at the half, the Bucks shot 62 percent (24-of-39) after intermission and outscored the Heat, 68-39.

"The game turned so fast in the third quarter," Miami coach Pat Riley said. "We did a good job in the first half of taking away a lot of layups and controlling the tempo. Once we got down, it kept getting worse. The fourth quarter, it was just lights out, the way they (Bucks) shot the ball was incredible."

Milwaukee shot 52 percent (43-of-82) overall, outrebounded Miami, 43-34, and committed just 10 turnovers.

Andrew Bogut scored eight of his 17 points in the third quarter and Villanueva added eight points in the final three minutes as Milwaukee took an 83-69 lead into the fourth. Villanueva opened the fourth with a shot from the arc and added another with 7:39 remaining that pushed the lead to 96-74.

Villanueva finished 5-of-8 from the floor and grabbed seven rebounds in 21 minutes.

A little later in the period, Bell hit three 3-pointers in less than two minutes as the Bucks' lead blossomed to 111-81 with 4:22 left.

"I told (Williams) to throw me the ball and I'm going to do my best to get you there," Bell said. "I was able to get hot a little bit. This is a big win for us because even without Shaq (Shaquille O'Neal), this is a good team. We have to take this win in stride."

Dwyane Wade, who returned to the city he played his collegiate ball, scored 17 of his 27 points in the first half and Dorell Wright had 14 for Miami, which had its modest two-game winning streak snapped.

"It's always good to be back in Milwaukee, it's always good motivation," said Wade, who played at Marquette. "It's always good to come back to Bradley Center where I've played a lot of games and won a lot of them."