Twenty-eight games. That's all that stands between the Bucks and their quest to return to the National Basketball Association postseason.

After surviving a late scare for a 93-88 victory over Charlotte Saturday, the Bucks (26-28) moved within a game of the Bobcats for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

Don't think for a second, though, that the Bucks are content with merely sliding past the Bobcats, and sneaking into the postseason as the conference's final seed.

"There's some teams we'd like to pass by," says head coach Scott Skiles.

To get to that point, the Bucks will need more performances like the one they put forth Saturday at the Bradley Center.

Milwaukee withstood a 35-point night from Jackson and picked-up a much-needed victory. Much of the Bucks' success had to do with newly-acquired guard John Salmons, who scored 19 points for the second straight night.

Up by as much as 20 at one point, the Bobcats mounted a furious charge behind Stephen Jackson and Tyrus Thomas and cut the Bucks' lead to four with under a minute to play.

Jackson mishandled the ball near mid-court and newly-acquired John Salmons, snatched it up and drove down the court, where he drew a clear-path foul. Salmons hit a pair of free throws, the Bucks got possession and escaped with the victory - their seventh in the last 10 games.

Salmons was added in large part because of his scoring, something the Bucks badly needed in the wake of Michael Redd's season-ending injury and to take pressure off of Bogut and Brandon Jennings.

It's so much his ability to score that's helping the Bucks, it's also his timing. On Friday night, he hit a three-pointer with 16 seconds remaining to give Milwaukee a 91-85 victory at Detroit.

"It's obviously an understatement to say he's helped us in the (last) two games," Skiles says.

And in addition to the points, he's been able to share the ball and pull down rebounds, too. He had five and seven, respectively, Saturday.

"We gave him a bunch of opportunities in the first half and he either scored or assisted on all of them," Skiles said. "He was driving to the hole and kicking it out or scoring on his own."

Salmons has been down this road before. He and center Brad Miller played key roles down the stretch as the Bulls fought for the playoffs. Salmons averaged 18 points a game and help push the Bulls to seven games in an opening-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics.

Now, the Bucks are hoping he can provide a similar spark.

"That's the goal," Salmon said. " We're heading into the right direction and hopefully we can make a push."

The schedule is in Milwaukee's favor down the stretch. Of the final 28 games, 17 will be played at the Bradley Center, where the Bucks are 17-9 this season and 8-2 since the start of 2010. They will play four games against Miami, Chicago and Charlotte - the teams they're chasing in the playoff race - and have six games against teams nearly out of contention in Philadelphia, New York, Indiana, New Jersey and Washington.

Of course, power teams like Cleveland, Boston and Atlanta are on the slate, too, so it's important to keep things in perspective.

"We're just trying to stay consistent and beat the teams we should beat at home and still a couple on the road," Says Bogut. "Obviously, we probably need 40 (or more) wins to get even that eighth spot.

"We're just looking to maintain consistency and if we keep playing hard we'll be alright."