Carney scored 11 of his points in the final 3:47 of the third period as Minnesota trimmed a 13-point Milwaukee lead to five going into the final 12 minutes.

If that wasn't enough, he also was the primary defender on the Bucks' last gasp, a 10-foot jumper by Michael Redd that missed the mark with 0.6 seconds remaining.

"He stepped up big-time for us," center Al Jefferson said of Carney. "He hit some big shots, knocked down his free throws, played great defense. It was unbelievable to watch that."

Carney's 22 points gave him 76 in the past nine games after he had gone scoreless in the previous seven.

That included two zero-minutes games for the third-year guard, who hit 7 of 11 shots against the Bucks, including 4 of 6 from three-point range.

"Rodney was huge for us tonight," fellow guard Randy Foye said. "Every chance I got, I said, 'Rodney, just keep on doing what you're doing.' The way he was playing, I didn't even want to get back into the game. But when he kept Rodney out there with me and Sebastian (Telfair), I was like, they can't really leave anybody (open) because it was either layups or jump shots."

Carney's game fits perfectly into the free-flowing style the Wolves have been playing under coach Kevin McHale, but he's not the only one.

"It brings out the best in every Basketball player," McHale said before the game. "... If we were taught the game the way we play it sometimes in the NBA (today), you wouldn't have any Basketball players because everybody would say I'm going to go play soccer or something fun. That's how you play when you're a kid. You play up and down, you move, you drive, you attack. That's how everybody learned how to play in the park. I watch guys play Basketball now, I think if that's how I was taught to play the game, I would have played baseball."

Basketball has been more fun for all the Wolves lately, including Carney, who credited injured guard Kevin Ollie for helping to keep him focused and working hard during the time he wasn't playing.

As much as he enjoys scoring, Carney also knows that the key to his minutes is on the defensive end.

"That's what I have to do to play," he said. "If I didn't play any defense, McHale wouldn't put me out there. I want to get out there and guard one of the best players. ... On the defensive aspect, that's what I have to do to play, and that's what I take pride in."

Kevin who? McHale was ejected at the end of the first period after receiving two technical fouls, leaving assistant coach Jerry Sichting to run the team for the final three quarters.

The question is, who gets the win?

"You know, Mac turned it around with the referees, but coach Sichting, he did a great job," Foye said. "He put us in situations for us to score, his substitution was great and he was a leader in the huddle. He kept us all positive when anything happened bad."

According to Telfair, Sichting and the other coaches also got on the Wolves pretty good at halftime, with the Bucks holding a 60-51 lead.

"All of them," Telfair said. "They all came in upset and throwing things. Sometimes I guess that's how it's going."

In addition to McHale, the Wolves ended the game without star center Al Jefferson, who fouled out with 1:29 to play.

So, who needs them?

"We do," guard Mike Miller said. "To answer your question."

Quote of the day: McHale, asked when was the last time he was ejected: "I don't know. Maybe as a player I might have lost my mind a couple times. As a coach, you shouldn't do that. I was thinking, 'Geez, if we lose by two, I won't sleep at all all night long.' "