MILWAUKEE — There's been a school of thought in these parts, for much of the past three years, that the Milwaukee Bucks offense should start with center Andrew Bogut.

For the past week, that offense has been starting and ending with Bogut.

The Bucks center continued the most impressive offensive stretch in his three seasons Wednesday night as he scored 21 points to key the Bucks to an 87-80 victory over the Atlanta Hawks at the Bradley Center.

While Bogut was doing the hard work on the offensive end, he and his teammates certainly did the dirty work on the defensive end in the fourth quarter of the tight game, holding the explosive Hawks to a measly two field goals and just 15 points.

"It was a great defensive effort," Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak said. "Our guys were really scrambling around."

But it would have been an effort for naught if not for Bogut, who is averaging a double-double in points and rebounds over his past six games with a 19.5 scoring average and 10.3 rebounding mark.

Bogut scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the second half as the Bucks finally were able to break away in the fourth quarter of a game tied at 45 at half and 65 after three quarters.

Bogut took 14 shots in a balanced attack, hitting eight field goals. Two of them came in the final minute as the Bucks held off the Hawks' last gasp.

"I had a meeting with (Krystkowiak) a couple of times and he wants the ball going into me a little bit more," Bogut said. "When you hear the coach say that, it gives you confidence.

"If I get 15 to 20 touches a game, I have the confidence I'm going to make 10 or more shots. The more touches the better."

The transformation began a few weeks ago when Michael Redd, the Bucks' leading scorer, was sidelined with a thigh bruise.

But even when Redd returned last Friday in Los Angeles, the focus on Bogut in the offense did not change.

He averaged 22 points per game on that West Coast road swing, and even though all those games resulted in losses, the Bucks thought they had found some answers to a stagnant offense.

Even when the Bucks seemed to forget about Bogut in the fourth quarter of Monday night's loss at Utah, a period in which Bogut got just two shots, Krystkowiak pointed out that on at least three other occasions, the Bucks turned the ball over while trying to get the ball inside to their big man.

"We've gotten a little bit more creative with ways to get him the basketball," Krystkowiak said. "Our guys have faith in him. He's had some great ballgames back to back."

The Bucks, playing without starting point guard Mo Williams (flu), were in a grind with the Hawks through three quarters.

The Hawks' biggest lead was six when they jumped out 6-0 at the start.

The Bucks' biggest lead also was six, when they opened the third quarter with six straight points.

In fact, neither team was able to take command through three quarters of a game that featured 23 lead changes and 17 ties.

The Bucks took control with 3 minutes left with a seven-point spurt that opened an 81-74 advantage. Charlie Bell's 3-pointer and then Charlie Villanueva's follow of a Bell miss opened the gap.

Following a Hawks timeout, Royal Ivey, subbing for Williams, added another hoop.

Bogut scored the next two hoops, one on a lefty hook in the lane and the last on a dunk off Bobby Simmons' inbound pass that made it 85-80 with 20 seconds left.