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Bucks lean on Williams, Bell for another road win

Jan 9, 2008 - 5:27 AM By Michael Luongo PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Mo Williams and Charlie Bell helped the Milwaukee Bucks continue their recent success on the road with a 87-83 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.

Bell and Williams each scored 21 points to give the Bucks their third straight win on the road and just their fourth away from home this season.

"It's nice to get a little road momentum," Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak said. "It's nice to know that we can do it instead of looking over our shoulder and wondering how we were going to loose this game. We've found a way to fight."

Philadelphia, which has lost four straight, pulled within 81-79 with 50 seconds to play on a spinning jumper in the lane by Andre Iguodala. But the Bucks answered with a tip-in by Andrew Bogut and two free throws by Williams after Iguodala came up short on a 3-pointer from the top of the key.

"Charlie (Bell) was aggressive and got to the rim," Bogut said. "I got it before the defender and I got lucky with the tip in."

"Everybody was staying with the play." Williams added. "I think that is two games in a row where Andrew got a big tip or a big finish at the end. It was a great tip-in."

The Bucks got off to a fast start with an early 10-0 run that Williams capped with a basket that gave Milwaukee a 12-2 lead.

Playing on their home court for the first time since December 26, the Sixers came to life with a 14-4 run to tie the game on a basket by Jason Smith. Williams keyed a 10-1 Milwaukee run late in the quarter with a three-point play and Bell hit a basket to give the Bucks a 26-17 lead at the end of the first.

Williams gave the Bucks their largest lead of the game early in the second quarter. His jumper gave Milwaukee a 28-17 lead.

After the Sixers cut their deficit to 31-28, Bell hit a jumper to push the lead to 33-28 and he scored seven of his 12 first-half points in the second as Milwaukee went into the half with a 46-36 lead.

Down by nine, the Sixers went on a 15-2 run to take their first lead of the game. Willie Green scored four points in the run and Andre Miller's lay-up with 5:38 to go in the third gave Philadelphia a 53-52 lead.

Free throws by Miller and Reggie Evans capped the spurt to give the Sixers a 55-51 lead with 4:40 to play.

Milwaukee answered with a pair of free throws by Williams plus baskets by Bogut and Charlie Villanueva to re-take the lead at 57-55 with 3:00 left in the quarter. Bell hit a three to cap a 9-0 run and push the lead to 60-55 with 2:14 to play.

"I was feeling comfortable with my shot tonight," Bell said. "I don't know why I started off so slow, but my teammates and my coaches have stuck by me. I've kept shooting and not it's starting to go in."

"We had to come out with a little more intensity and we didn't," Green said. "They did a great job of making plays. They hit baskets and lay-ups and that was the ball game."

Williams finished the scoring with a pair of free throws to give the Bucks a 64-58 lead after three.

"We played well through out the game," Williams said. "We're pulling them out on the road and that's not easy."

Villanueva's dunk with just over 9:00 to play in the fourth gave the Bucks a 71-63 lead and they held on from there.