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Bucks hold off Timberwolves

Dec 28, 2011 - 6:12 AM Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Brandon Jennings scored 24 points and dished out seven assists as the Bucks topped the Timberwolves, 98-95, at the Bradley Center.

Andrew Bogut scored 15 points and pulled down nine rebounds before fouling out. Stephen Jackson added 16 points and Jon Leuer chipped in 14 off the bench for the Bucks, who won their home opener after to falling to Charlotte Monday.

"We had to bounce back," Leuer said. "We were able to do just enough to get the job done."

Kevin Love led all scorers with 31 points and 20 rebounds. Michael Beasley added 15 points and seven boards for Minnesota, which has dropped its first two games of the season.

The Bucks led by 10 with just under four minutes remaining before the T'Wolves cut it to 94-92, but the hosts proved to be too much.

Beasley hit a key three pointer from the corner with 2:52 remaining to pull within five at 94-89 before knocking down another jumper at the 1:41 mark to cut the lead to two.

After Milwaukee called a timeout to regroup, Jennings took the ball to the hoop. As he was airborne, he dished to Leuer on the baseline at the last second. Leuer slammed the ball home as he was fouled and knocked down the free throw with 1:17 left.

The T'Wolves had one last chance to tie the game with seven seconds remaining, but Love's three-point attempt rattled in and out before Leuer corralled the rebound to preserve the win.

"If we played with the type of energy and focus in the first half as we did in the second half, we would have had a much better chance at winning," said Terry Porter, who was serving as Minnesota's head coach because Rick Adelman missed the game to attend the funeral service of his mother-in-law.

After taking a 32-30 lead into the second, the Bucks used an 18-4 run late in the second and held a 60-48 cushion at the break.

Milwaukee extended its lead to 20 after outscoring Minnesota 15-7 over the first half of the third quarter, but the T'Wolves battled back and cut its deficit to 11 before the start of the final frame.

Milwaukee was without the services of forward Drew Gooden, who was serving a one-game suspension. Gooden was handed the suspension Tuesday after he was ejected from Monday's loss to the Bobcats when he was called for a flagrant foul two after making excessive contact with the head of Charlotte guard Gerald Henderson.

Game Notes

The Bucks have won 12 of their last 14 home openers...Milwaukee shot just 2-of-16 from behind the arc...T'Wolves coach Rick Adelman missed the game to attend the funeral service of his mother-in-law.