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Redd, Patterson guide Bucks over Wizards

Dec 31, 2006 - 5:49 AM MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- Michael Redd and Ruben Patterson helped the Milwaukee Bucks stay perfect at home in December.

Redd scored 28 points and Patterson added 21 to lead the Bucks to a 119-102 triumph over the Washington Wizards.

The Bucks, who improved to 7-0 at home in December, took control of the game in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Wizards, 37-17. Milwaukee opened the final period with an 8-0 spurt capped by Redd's jumper with 10:07 to play.

"You're not going to make the playoffs if you can't win at home," Redd said. "We struggled here earlier in the season."

"The most important thing is that when you play at home you get the crowd involved," Bucks coach Terry Stotts said. "The more you win, the more people come to games and it just kind of snowballs. Home court is important."

Redd and Patterson combined to score 21 points in the fourth for the Bucks, who shot 49 percent (49-of-100) from the floor.

"We just came out and played as a team," Patterson said. "Guys made shots, Coach came in with some post-ups and their twos (guards) and threes (forwards) were kind of small for me, so I got some and-ones. It was a total team effort and everyone played. It's a great win."

Charlie Bell scored 19 points and Andrew Bogut added 14 and 12 rebounds for Milwaukee, which outscored Washington, 18-4, on the fast break.

"It was big, when you make a run like that," Bell said. "The crowd really sets the tone and you can relax instead of playing catch-up all the time."

The Bucks were able to take advantage of a smaller Wizards lineup as center Brendan Haywood sat out with a sprained right ankle.

With Haywood missing, Milwaukee took control in the paint by outscoring Washington, 62-48.

Caron Butler scored 29 points and Gilbert Arenas 19 for the Wizards, who shot 44 percent (41-of-93).

"We just have to bounce back," Butler said. "This is a tough loss, but you have to tip your hat to Milwaukee, they are a good team."

The loss snapped Washington's five-game winning streak.

"It was a good run for us, five in a row," Wizards coach Eddie Jordan said. "You lose a game where you don't have your starting center, Gilbert (Arenas) is hurting a little bit, our guys played big minutes the other night, but we didn't win the game."