İlyasova’s tip-in lifts Bucks over Wizards

MILWAUKEE

Ersan İlyasova’s game-winning point was chosen the Play of the Day on the official NBA website. AP photo

Turkey’s Ersan İlyasova scored on a tip-in with 2.2 seconds left and the Milwaukee Bucks beat Washington 119-118 on Feb. 28, handing the Wizards their fifth consecutive defeat.

Mike Dunleavy scored a season-high 28 points for the Bucks, who snapped a six-game losing streak at home.

Brandon Jennings took an inbounds pass with 6.8 seconds left and drove left of the lane, attempting a short jumper. It bounced off the rim, but İlyasova had position and tipped in the miss for the winning points.

John Wall then got an inbounds pass on the baseline for Washington but was called for traveling with 1 second to go without getting off a shot. Wall gave the Wizards a 118-117 lead when he drove around Jennings and scored on a running, 8-foot jumper with 6.8 seconds remaining.

The Turkish international forward finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds. His game-winning tip was also chosen as the Play of the Day on the official NBA website.

Rose back to his best

Meanwhile, Chicago’s Derrick Rose showed he is back to full fitness by grabbing 32 points and nine assists to help the Bulls beat the New Orleans Hornets 99-95. Rose, who has missed 10 games this season with various injuries, scored six of the game’s final eight points as the Bulls finished on an 8-0 run to hold off a late charge by the visiting Hornets.

Chicago also welcomed Richard Hamilton back to the lineup and had their season-opening starting five on court for the first time since Jan. 4.

“We have to knock some of the rust off,” said Rose, who had appeared closer to top form in his two games back from injury before Sunday’s All Star game.

Rose showed no signs of rust in his best performance in nearly a month, allowing Chicago (28-8) to tie idle Miami at the top of the Eastern Conference.

The win did not come easily, however, as New Orleans (8-26) erased a nine-point deficit midway through the fourth quarter and blitzed Chicago with a 13-0 run to grab a 95-91 lead with 1:25 to go before Rose took over.

The reigning league MVP cut the lead with two free throws, and later added a go-ahead jump shot with 19 seconds remaining before making another pair of free throws to cap the scoring.