Nuggets Squeak By Bucks

February 27, 1999 / 4:10 AM EST / CBS/AP

Glenn Robinson, who beat the Chicago Bulls with 4.3 seconds left three days earlier, almost did it again for the Milwaukee Bucks in the final seconds against the Denver Nuggets.

Everything was set for a repeat, but this time the shot from just inside the free-throw line caught enough of the rim that it missed.

"It was all in my hands. I just missed it," Robinson said. "I gave him (Antonio McDyess) a nice pump fake and he didn't get a chance to contest my shot at all."

Although Robinson led Milwaukee with 19 points, his missed game-winning attempt enabled the Nuggets to win their third straight home game, 96-95 Friday night.

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"I think we could have had a lot better shot, a little better shot, but it was a good shot," Milwaukee coach George Karl said. "We had Ray Allen coming one way and Glenn coming from the other and went to Glenn. We shouldn't have been in that position."

Danny Fortson scored 16 points in his first start at center and provided the game-winner for the Nuggets, converting an offensive rebound with 5.8 seconds left. Fortson also had 11 rebounds as he moved into the starting five in place of rookie Raef LaFrentz, who suffered a season-ending knee injury Thursday.

Chauncey Billups added 18 points, McDyess had 16 points and 12 rebounds and Nick Van Exel scored 15 points for the Nuggets, who were swept by the Bucks a year ago in the two-game season series.

Terrell Brandon and Allen had 18 points each for the Bucks, who won four of their previous six road games.

"I was expecting the ball to come to me, but they were like ants out there," McDyess said. "They were everywhere."

With Milwaukee leading 95-94, Billups drove the lane and missed a finger-roll attempt, but Fortson outworked two Bucks for the rebound and muscled the ball back up and in.

"I knew the ball was coming my way and I was going to do anything I could to get it," Fortson said. "I got my hands on it and, knowing I was close to the basket, I tried to get it back up there as quickly as I could."

Fortson, who scored 11 points in the final quarter, pulled the Nuggets to 90-89 with a layup and free throw with 3:10 left. Robinson's basket put Milwaukee up 92-89, but McDyess' jam and a 3-pointer by Van Exel with 1:15 left gave Denver the lead, 94-92.

"Danny gave us a great effort," Denver coach Mike D'Antoni said. "He picked us up, especially in the fourth quarter."

The Bucks led 25-12 after a quarter as the Nuggets shot only 25 percent and matched a season-low for points in a quarter. Allen shot 5-of-6 in the quarter and had nine points in a 14-0 run that gave Milwaukee an 18-5 lead.

Allen sat out the first four minutes of the second quarter, and Denver responded with a 13-6 stretch, with Cory Alexander scoring six points, to close the Nuggets to 33-25. Billups' 3-pointer with 8:23 left that gave Nuggets their first lead since the opening minutes.

Brandon made five of six shots and scored 13 points in the third period as the Bucks took an 81-69 lead into the fourth quarter.

Notes: Denver was without backup center Loren Meyer, who was given a $5,000 fine and one-game suspension for a flagrant foul of Cedric Ceballos in Thursday's game at Dallas. ... . Robert Traylor made his third start at center for the Bucks. ... . Denver, 11-71 a year ago, didn't win its fourth game until the 44th game last year. ... Brandon is two steals short of 750. ... The Nuggets won despite committing a season-high 23 turnovers.