But with another challenging game facing them tonight in Houston, the Bucks knew better than to get too carried away over their biggest victory of the season.

"We played like we were playing before the Pistons game," coach Scott Skiles said, referring to his team's dispiriting loss Saturday. "We played hard, we played with a lot of energy. Even though they shot in the high 40s, our defense was pretty scrappy. It was another low-turnover game for us. We did an awful lot of things well out there tonight."

But on the other hand . . .

"I sort of feel it's only a big win if we go and do something again tomorrow night," Skiles added. "It's a road win. We're happy to have it. They're a great team and we have a lot of respect for them. It went down to the wire and we got a big win. Now we get on the plane and go and play another Texas team that's very good also."

Down to the wire indeed.

It appeared that the Bucks had things well in hand after a free throw by Michael Redd gave them a 100-95 lead with 16.4 seconds left. But San Antonio's Roger Mason drained a three-pointer with 9.3 seconds to go and when Milwaukee's Richard Jefferson could not make the inbound pass, the Bucks were called for a 5-second violation.

The Spurs went to Tim Duncan, who drove down the lane but couldn't get a layup to drop with 3.8 seconds left. The Bucks rebounded, advanced the ball, and Charlie Bell fired up a long three-pointer that assured that the clock would expire.

Redd scored 10 of his 25 points in the first quarter in leading Milwaukee to a 31-26 lead. He also finished with 10 rebounds. Point guard Luke Ridnour scored the Bucks' first nine points of the second half as Milwaukee stretched a two-point halftime lead to 11 late in the third quarter. Ridnour finished with 21 points.

Center Andrew Bogut, often getting to rim with ease, put on his own personal dunk contest and scored 20 points. He also grabbed 14 rebounds and made several key plays down the stretch.

"It's big for us," Bogut said. "It's a game we weren't supposed to win on paper and then to come in here and beat one of the best teams in the NBA. It's great for our confidence and we'll have a lot of confidence going into Houston."

Said Redd: "It's a huge win. We respect San Antonio a lot and it was just a great game. It's huge because it's a big road win for us. And, against a good team. We played poised. We knew they were going to make a run and we did a good job of executing down the stretch with some easy dunks and layups. We got some key stops at the end."

Milwaukee took an 80-74 lead into the fourth quarter but with the Bucks making just one of their first nine shots, the Spurs came back to take an 84-82 lead on a three-pointer by Mason with 7:26 left. A turnover by Ridnour led to a fast-break dunk by Mason that gave the Spurs an 88-84 lead with 6 minutes 33 seconds left and the arena, quiet for most of the night, was suddenly alive.

But a three-pointer by Ridnour ignited a 7-0 Bucks run and they held off the Spurs from there, with Bogut drawing an offensive foul on Duncan, making two free throws and feeding Bell for a layup down the stretch.

The most gratifying part of the victory for Skiles?

"That we were able to get it after not being able to inbound the ball with 9 seconds to go in the game," he said.

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