Bucks hold on to beat Pistons 92-88
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-04-22 10:20

Michael Redd bounced back, and so did the Milwaukee Bucks. Barely. Redd scored a career playoff high of 26 points as Milwaukee held on to beat the Detroit Pistons 92-88 Wednesday in Game 2 and even their series. It was the first win by a road team in this year's playoffs.

The Bucks led 87-72 with 3:13 left before Detroit made a frantic comeback. With a chance to tie or take the lead, Rasheed Wallace took a pass in the corner and the ball slipped out of his hands and went out of bounds with 4.1 seconds left.

Redd then made two free throws to seal the win.

The Bucks' leading scorer had just 11 points — about half his average — and made seven of Milwaukee's 25 turnovers in its 108-82 loss Sunday. Redd scored his 12th point on the opening possession of the second half Wednesday.

Chauncey Billups led Detroit with 20 points before fouling out, and Richard Hamilton had 18 points before being ejected with a second technical foul with 4:58 left.

Game 3 in the first round, best-of-seven series is Saturday in Milwaukee.

The Bucks' 100th playoff win was also their first on the road against the Pistons in three playoff meetings.

After a close first quarter, Milwaukee went ahead for good with 4:48 left in the first half.

The Bucks led by as much as 14 in the third quarter and maintained a comfortable cushion until Detroit rallied with nine straight points to pull to 87-81 with 1:36 to go.

Milwaukee struggled with turnovers again — 20 of them led to 21 points for Detroit — but it didn't cost the Bucks the game.

Before the game, Redd said his teammates would provide plenty of help on offense, and they did.

Desmond Mason scored 17 and Joe Smith added 11 points and 13 rebounds. The Bucks' reserves scored 21 points before a player from Detroit's bench scored — with three minutes left.

Milwaukee reserve Toni Kukoc had 15 points and nine rebounds, and backup Brevin Knight scored 11.

Detroit's Rasheed Wallace had 16 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. Ben Wallace had seven points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.

The Pistons trailed just twice in Game 1, both times in the first quarter, and it looked like their momentum carried over when they had two dunks in the first 45 seconds.

But Milwaukee quickly proved it didn't come to Detroit for another rout. Redd made his first three shots, two of them 3-pointers, and had nine by the end of the quarter.

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