Bogut Returns in Big Way
24 Points & 13 Rebounds in Win over Knicks
www.jsonline.com
by Tom Enlund
2 Apr 2008
MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin - Milwaukee Bucks backup point guard Royal Ivey looked like a proud father on the bench, beaming with pride as he watched rookie point guard Ramon Sessions direct the Bucks down the stretch to a 119-115 overtime victory over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night the Bradley Center.
Ivey and Sessions often go after each other in practice pretty hard and Sessions showed against the Knicks that those tussles are paying some dividends.
"When you get the opportunity, you have to come through," Ivey said. "He didn't look nervous out there and he just played with a great poise.
"I was thinking of all those practices I was hounding him and it's paying off because he just looks comfortable out there. Nothing bothers him. That's my rook. I talk to him a lot about the game, the league, and I'm happy for him. A lot of guys in this league don't like to see other guys do good but I'm happy for him because he's come a long way."
Said coach Larry Krystkowiak, "It's hard to keep Ramon off the floor right now."
Sessions came back into the game late in the third quarter and played the rest of the way, finishing with four points and six assists in 34 minutes. He made two key free throws in the final seconds of regulation and hounded high-scoring Knicks guard Jamal Crawford on defense to a point where things got a bit testy late in the game.
The Bucks had to rally back twice in the fourth quarter before the game went into overtime tied, 109-109. A foul by Sessions on New York's Quentin Richardson on a three-point shot with 1 second left almost cost the Bucks the victory but Richardson missed the first free throw before making the next two to send it into overtime.
"He bailed me out," Sessions said.
Michael Redd had a big game for Milwaukee and finished with 36 points, nine assists and six rebounds. The masked Andrew Bogut also played well and contributed 24 points and 13 rebounds. Bobby Simmons came off the bench to score 24 points in 29 minutes. Simmons' 11 fourth-quarter points helped propel the Bucks into overtime, when he added six more points.
In overtime, a jumper and two free throws by Simmons put the Bucks up by four. Knicks guard Quentin Richardson scored from the lane but another jumper by Simmons made it 115-111. Wilson Chandler scored for New York but Desmond Mason responded with a jumper for a 117-113 lead. A free throw by Bogut made it a five-point lead with 1:11 left and the Bucks were home free. Full Story.
