With the Central Division-leading Milwaukee Bucks missing leading scorers Glenn Robinson and Ray Allen, the Bulls improved to 2-0 under Cartwright with a 90-83 victory Monday.
The back-to-back wins are the first for the Bulls since victories last April 17-18 at New Jersey and Philadelphia in the final two games of the 2000-01 season. They last won consecutive games at the United Center last February 13-17 against Atlanta and Miami.
 Trenton Hassell and the Bulls held Sam Cassell to just two points in the fourth quarter after he netted 26 through three . Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images |
"I thought we were really fortunate with Glenn Robinson and Ray Allen out for Milwaukee," Cartwright said. "Those two guys being out really hurt them. The lane is a little more open without them."
Robinson, who is averaging a team-leading 21.8 points, suffered a left thigh bruise in Milwaukee's overtime win over San Antonio on Saturday night. Allen, who is averaging 21.4 points, missed his sixth straight game with left knee tendinitis.
Ron Mercer scored 16 of his 20 points in the second half for the Bulls, who were 4-23 under former coach Tim Floyd before Cartwright took over.
"The guys are going out and playing hard," Mercer said. "We have had a lot of energy the last couple of games. Now it is a matter of playing hard and not losing it."
Marcus Fizer had 17 points and a career-high 14 rebounds and Ron Artest added 15 points for Chicago.
"Not taking anything away from Tim Floyd, but the guys are playing with more intensity," Fizer said.
"It feels good, especially for coach Cartwright," Artest said. "We just have to stay with it."
The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for Milwaukee.
Facing the burden of carrying the offense, Sam Cassell led the Bucks with 28 points, but had just two in the fourth quarter.
Tim Thomas, one of the NBA's premier sixth men, started in Robinson's absence and scored 19 points. Michael Redd again filled in for Allen and had 12.
Anthony Mason added 11 points for Milwaukee and did not use the absence of Robinson and Allen as an excuse for his team.
"We have a lot of options on this team," Mason said. "We're talented, a deep team that can have a lot of offense. Everyone has to be ready to play and step up to meet those kind of challenges."
The Bucks scored six straight points to tie the game at 74-74 with 7:19 left in the fourth quarter after two straight baskets by Redd and a pair of free throws by Darvin Ham.
But the Bulls went on a decisive 11-4 run over the next seven minutes as Mercer hit a pair of jumpers from the right sideline.
A pair of free throws by rookie Trenton Hassell with 6:50 remaining gave Chicago the lead for good. After Mason and Fizer missed short shots, Ham turned the ball over and Mercer hit an 18-foot jumper from the right sideline with 5:56 left.
Cassell connected on a 17-foot jumper from the left sideline, but Mercer responded with a 22-footer from the right sideline. Artest then stripped Cassell near midcourt and went in for a layup, increasing Chicago's advantage to 82-76 with 4:23 left.
Redd hit a jumper from the right sideline with 4:17 remaining and the Bucks had a chance to pull within two, but Ham was whistled for an offensive foul with 3:45 left.
It was here where the Bucks unravaled. Mason was called for a technical foul and Greg Anthony converted the free throw for Chicago with 3:41 remaining.
After Thomas missed a 3-point jumper, Fizer turned the ball over for Chicago. But Thomas was called for an offensive foul and Cassell promptly fouled Chicago's Charles Oakley with 2:34 left. Oakley hit 1-of-2 free throws, giving the Bulls an 84-78 advantage.
Redd missed a 3-point jumper and following a tiemout, Bucks coach George Karl was slapped with his second techical and was ejected with 2:12 left.
"I got my technicals for saying what everyone in the gym knows," Karl said. "They took three fastbreaks from us in a row (with the offensive foul calls). Why hit a coach with a technical with two minutes to go in this type of game. I never even had that happen to me in the CBA."
Anthony hit on the technical free throw. After Mason scored on a layup with 1:42 remaining, Mercer drilled a jumper from the left sideline to give the Bulls an 87-80 advantage with 1:19 left.
The Bucks held a 43-37 halftime advantage before Artest sparked the Bulls in the third quarter, scoring 10 of his points in a 19-7 run.