 Anthony Mason provided the spark Milwaukee needed. Gary Dineen/NBAE/Getty Images from Bulls-Bucks: 56k | 300k |
Signed as a free agent during the offseason, the 6-8 Mason was acquired to add toughness in the post on both ends of the court to a perimeter-based Bucks' squad that has been accused of being soft at times.
Mason collected 11 points and nine rebounds, contributing under both baskets. But his biggest play came when he stepped out on the floor.
The Bulls had fought back from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit to get within 93-92 with 18 seconds remaining on a 3-pointer by Charles Oakley, his only basket of the game. Milwaukee's Ray Allen split a pair of free throws, setting up the key sequence.
The Bulls swung the ball to the right wing to Oakley, who looked to have an open 3-pointer. Mason ran toward him and jumped to block what may have been an attempted pass underneath. Allen corraled the loose ball and made the clinching free throws with 1.8 seconds to go.
"I don't know if it was a pass or a shot or what," Mason said. "I just rushed out there and tipped it away."
"I thought Oakley would be involved in the play, either passing, shooting or setting a pick," Bucks coach George Karl said. "So we put Mason on him. Mason's a great defender. He's very impressive defensively."
Glenn Robinson and Sam Cassell scored 22 points each and Allen added 20 for the Bucks, who have won three in a row overall and have beaten the Bulls seven straight times at home.
Milwaukee (7-1) is off to its best start since the 1984-85 season, when it also opened 7-1.
Ron Mercer scored 31 points and rookie Trenton Hassell added 22 -- both season highs -- for the Bulls, who have lost eight in a row. They are 0-5 on a seven-game road trip.
"We played well most of the game," Bulls coach Tim Floyd said. "We have been playing better the last five or six games, and I'm pleased with that."
"I don't even know where that Hassell went to college, but congratulations to him on a good game," Karl said.
The Bucks opened an 80-68 lead with 9:52 left on a jumper by Michael Redd, who scored 11 points off the bench. The Bulls answered with 13 of the next 15 points and pulled with 82-81 on a shot by Brad Miller with 5:37 remaining.
Robinson returned and made two jumpers. A layup by Mason made it 91-85 with 1:45 to go, but Chicago again fought back. A basket by Miller and Oakley's 3-pointer cut the deficit to one point.
"We played defense in the fourth quarter when it mattered," Mason said. "We showed we can do it. Now we need to put 48 minutes together. If we do that, we can be very dangerous."
Cassell returned after missing one game with an abdominal strain and shot 9-of-15 with eight assists. Milwaukee shot 50 percent (37-of-74) from the field but was outrebounded, 41-36.
Miller had 13 points and 15 boards for Chicago, which shot 48 percent (39-of-81) but made just 10-of-22 free throws.
"Brad Miller is playing some tough basketball right now," Karl said. "If he continues to play that way, he's going to be a special player."
Mercer scored 20 points in the first half, when the Bulls led by as many as 12 before settling for a 49-43 advantage. The Bucks rallied and took their first lead at 54-53 on a free throw by Robinson with 6:15 left in the third quarter.
"We can't keep coming out and letting teams get early leads on us," Robinson said. "If we do that in Toronto (on Friday), we'll be in trouble."