The Bucks trailed by 11 early in the second, held a six-point halftime lead after their big second quarter and then blew the game open in the third.

"Sometimes you have like three of these a year," said coach Scott Skiles. "You don't have that many where, especially where for 14 straight minutes it seemed like - it didn't happen this way but it seemed like - every shot we took went in the basket. So you have to take those nights.

"It's not a fluke because all these guys are talented, but it just doesn't happen that much. Or defensive game plan, the guys were sharp with that and we found the bottom of the basket. We have to take it."

Said guard Michael Redd, "It's hard to beat, when a team is shooting (57.8%) against you."

Forward Charlie Villanueva led the Bucks with a season-high 32 points. He sank 12 of 17 shots, including four from three-point range, and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Redd made 10 of 16 shots, including five from beyond the arc, to score 27 points. Ramon Sessions made all seven of his shots, sparked a second-quarter rally when the Bucks turned the game to their favor and scored 21 points.

The Bucks made seven of 24 shots (29.2%) and scored 22 points in the first quarter but then made 15 of 18 shots (83.3%) in the second quarter and 14 of 19 (73.7%) in the third.

"We knew we'd be able to turn it around," said Villanueva. "We can't shoot 29% for the whole game. Once we got it going, it was hard for us to be stopped. It got contagious. Guys were hitting shots. It's definitely fun to win, especially against a big-time team like that."

Almost lost in all of the offensive fireworks was the Bucks' 46-33 rebounding advantage. The Bucks had gotten pounded on the boards in the last two games of their recent Western trip and it was an area of concern.

"I think our Achilles heel the last couple games was our rebounding," said Redd, who had seven rebounds. "We wanted to shore that up."

The Bucks trailed, 34-23, early in the second quarter but then made 15 of their first 17 shots in the second quarter to forge a 64-55 lead before Dallas forward Josh Howard sank a three-pointer at the buzzer to cut the Bucks' lead to 64-58 at halftime. Sessions and Villanueva scored 17 points each in the first half.

"We were getting and getting out in the transition and running," said Sessions of the Bucks' second-quarter rally. "That was big for us."

The game was tied at 67 early in the third quarter, but the Bucks then blew the game open as Dan Gadzuric, who missed all seven of his shots in the first quarter, converted a three-point play and Redd drilled three straight three-point baskets to give the Bucks a 12-point lead.

A three-pointer by Villanueva helped the Bucks extend their lead to 86-69, and another three by Villanueva gave the Bucks a 97-76 lead with 2:34 left. But at that point, the Bucks were hitting little but net. The Bucks led after three quarters, 101-85.

"Dallas is a good team," said Villanueva. "But we got them frustrated. That was our goal, to get them frustrated and we capitalized. They were definitely frustrated and they didn't play their best Basketball and I think our defense was what caused it."

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