Saturday, the Timberwolves shot 44.3% but made enough big shots in the fourth quarter to defeat the Bucks, 106-104.

Michael Redd led Milwaukee with 32 points, and Richard Jefferson added 29. Rodney Carney came off the bench to score 22 points for Minnesota, and center Al Jefferson had 20. The Timberwolves made 13 of 22 three-point shots (59.1%).

"One of our biggest weaknesses real early, going all the way back to the exhibition season when we were trying to get some sort of defensive foundation, was giving up dribble penetration," coach Scott Skiles said before the game. "We had gone through a long stretch where we were doing really well with that - getting help there early, being able to recover to shooters.

"And now in the last handful of games, the other teams' quickness and dribble penetration really bothers us. And then we help late and the ball is kicked out to shooters and you can't recover. So we have to do two things - control the dribble penetration better and get our help there quicker. Be a little more reactionary."

The Bucks jumped to a 14-point lead in the first quarter and led by 13 in the third quarter before a late Minnesota surge cut Milwaukee's lead to 83-78 going into the fourth quarter. Early in the fourth, the Timberwolves took an 89-88 lead on a three-pointer by Randy Foye with 8:42 left, their first lead since 2-0.

The Bucks later led, 100-96, but Minnesota scored seven straight and took the lead on a three-point shot by Foye with 2:30 left. Minnesota led, 105-104, when the Bucks took a timeout with 33 seconds left. Luke Ridnour, the hero of Friday's victory over New Jersey, drove the lane but couldn't get his shot to fall, and Sebastian Telfair made one free throw with 8.9 seconds left. Redd missed a fadeaway from the lane in the closing seconds.

Center Andrew Bogut returned Saturday after missing four games with back spasms but did not start. He finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.

With no other injuries to report, the Bucks were as healthy as they had been since the first week of the season, before Redd missed 14 games after spraining an ankle against New York on Nov. 2. Six Milwaukee players have missed games due to injury this season.

"It was 14 games with Mike and then with the games that we've missed with Andrew. . . we really haven't been healthy much," said Skiles. "When we've had everybody together, we've done pretty well and have had a pretty good record when everyone has been healthy. But it's part of the league. There's nothing you can do about it."

The Bucks made seven of their first eight shots and took a 15-5 lead. Redd scored seven of those Milwaukee points. Bogut first entered the game with 6 minutes 17 seconds left and the Bucks leading, 17-8. Two baskets by Bogut helped the Bucks stretch their lead to 24-10, and the Bucks held a 28-19 lead after one quarter.

In the second quarter, the Bucks held a 42-30 lead after Redd and Jefferson each sank a three-pointer. But Mike Miller and Ryan Gomes of Minnesota connected from beyond the arc to trim Milwaukee's lead to 44-36. Late in the quarter, a layup by Ridnour and a three-pointer by Jefferson pushed the Bucks' lead to 56-43, and Milwaukee led at halftime, 60-51.

Jefferson made 7 of 8 shots and had 18 points in the first half for the Bucks, who shot 59.5%. Minnesota shot 39.1%.

The Timberwolves were the aggressors at the start of the second half and quickly cut the lead to four.

But the Bucks recovered as Redd hit a three, Jefferson sank a jumper and then sliced down the lane for a layup a 75-64 lead. The Bucks later extended their lead to 13, but Minnesota scored 10 straight late in the quarter.

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