Lillard made a notable return, contributing 18 points after being sidelined for three games due to concussion protocol. The Rockets staged a comeback after trailing by 14 points in the third quarter, seizing the lead early in the fourth quarter and maintaining it until Lillard’s crucial shot. In a significant defensive play, Giannis Antetokounmpo blocked a shot from Alperen Sengun, keeping the Bucks in contention.
Following Lillard’s layup, the Rockets called for a timeout. With only 2 seconds remaining, Houston’s Fred VanVleet attempted to pass the ball to Sengun right under the basket; however, Sengun was unable to secure the ball. VanVleet then attempted a pass to Jabari Smith Jr. as time expired, but it was unsuccessful.
In terms of performance, Brook Lopez stood out with an impressive stat line, scoring 27 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and recording four blocks for Milwaukee. Antetokounmpo added a solid performance with 20 points and 14 rebounds. For the Rockets, VanVleet led the scoring with 26 points, while Jalen Green contributed 21, and Sengun added 18 points.
A noteworthy takeaway from the game is that just a night after dominating the Chicago Bulls with a score of 143-107, the Rockets faced a stark contrast, being limited to their lowest point total of the season. For Milwaukee, this victory comes as they bounce back from a dismal 2-8 start, now winning three out of their last four games. Despite an early hard fall that sent Lopez to the locker room for a brief period, he returned to help guide the team to victory.
The critical moment of the game occurred when the Bucks were behind 100-96; A.J. Green made a pivotal three-pointer that closed the gap to just one point with 1:17 left on the clock. Looking at the shooting stats, Houston struggled from beyond the arc, hitting only 9 of their 32 attempts, resulting in their season’s lowest field-goal percentage at 40%.
Both Milwaukee and Houston are set to compete again on Wednesday, with the Rockets playing host to Indiana, while the Bucks will face off against Chicago.