MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Bucks couldn't have asked for a much better chance to send Saturday night's matchup with the San Antonio Spurs to overtime.

They had leading scorer Michael Redd on the free throw line with 1.3 seconds left and were down by two to the defending NBA champions.

But Redd, who scored 25 points to pace the Bucks, missed the first free throw, and then the second on purpose.

It almost worked, but Andrew Bogut missed on the putback and the Spurs had a 96-94 victory.

"It worked pretty well and Andrew got a tip," Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "There were a lot of opportunities along the way and it certainly didn't come down to those free throws. There were plenty of opportunities on both sides of the basketball."

San Antonio remained the top seed in the Western Conference and is now a game ahead of New Orleans in the Southwest Division.

Bogut had 17 points and 15 rebounds for the Bucks, who had won three straight home games.

Manu Ginobili scored 30 points and hit a 17-footer with 13.2 seconds left to push the Spurs to their eighth straight victory.

The Bucks hurt their chances when Mo Williams was ejected for arguing a foul call with 7:32 left in the third and the Bucks ahead 58-51.

Ginobili's two free throws gave the Spurs their biggest lead at 86-77 with 5:42 to play.

The Spurs seemed in control until the Bucks mounted an 11-3 run late in the fourth, capped by Charlie Bell's driving layup that gave the Bucks a 94-93 lead with 20 seconds left.

Ginobili responded with a jumper as the Spurs regained the lead at 95-94.

Bell had another chance, but lost the ball in traffic on the Bucks' next possession. Tony Parker, who scored 26 points, grabbed the ball and was fouled. He made one free throw, leaving the door open for Redd, who was fouled on a drive to the hoop.