How Rockets aim to cool off red-hot Bucks in crucial clash

ROCKETS VS. BUCKS

Rockets Alperen Sengun
The Rockets host the Bucks Tuesday night. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.

The Houston Rockets (35-22) welcome the surging Milwaukee Bucks (32-24) on Tuesday night as they look to snap the Bucks' four-game winning streak and defend their strong home record.

The Rockets have been solid at Toyota Center, boasting an 18-9 home record, but they’ll need a sharper shooting performance to keep pace with Milwaukee. Houston ranks last in the Western Conference in three-point percentage (34.3%) and will have to find offensive efficiency against a Bucks team that allows 45.2% shooting to opponents.

Milwaukee, led by Damian Lillard and Brook Lopez, has struggled on the road (12-15) but remains dangerous when controlling possessions. The Bucks are 15-7 when they commit fewer turnovers than their opponents, averaging just 13.1 per game.

Key Matchups to Watch:

  • Jalen Green vs. Milwaukee’s defense: Green leads Houston with 21.5 points per game but will need efficiency against the Bucks’ perimeter defense.
  • Alperen Sengun’s recent form: Averaging 14.8 points over his last 10 games, Sengun will play a pivotal role inside against Lopez and Milwaukee’s frontcourt.
  • Bucks’ offensive edge: Milwaukee averages 5.2 more points per game than Houston allows, making defensive execution critical for the Rockets.

With both teams sitting fifth in their respective conferences, this matchup could serve as a measuring stick as they push toward playoff positioning. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. EST in Houston.


*ChatGPT assisted with the content.

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Jalen Green helped the Rockets even the series! Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

Jalen Green made eight 3-pointers and scored 38 points to lead the Houston Rockets to a 109-94 win over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night in a testy matchup to even the first-round Western Conference series at one game apiece.

The seventh-seeded Warriors never led and played short-handed for most of the night after Jimmy Butler left with a pelvis contusion after a hard fall on a foul late in the first quarter.

Green, the No. 2 pick in the 2021 draft, rebounded from a flop in his playoff debut, when he scored just seven points on 3-of-15 shooting, with a dominant Game 2.

His eight 3-pointers were two more than the No. 2-seeded Rockets made on 6-of-29 shooting in a 95-85 Game 1 loss.

Alperen Sengun had 17 points and 16 rebounds for the Rockets. Tari Eason had 14 points off the bench.

Game 2 is Saturday night at Golden State.

Stephen Curry had 20 points and nine assists for the Warriors and become the 11th player in NBA history to reach 4,000 career playoff points with 4,017.

Houston led by 20 with about 10 minutes left before the Warriors used a 9-0 run, with two 3s from Quinten Post, run to get within 11. Jalen Green was called for a flagrant foul on Draymond Green at the end of that run after he flailed an arm into his face.

The Rockets then used an 8-0 spurt, highlighted by a step-back 3 from Green, to extend the lead to 99-80 with 5 ½ minutes remaining. Draymond Green received a technical foul in that stretch for arguing with officials and Eason received one for throwing a towel in an “unsportsmanlike manner.”

The loss of Butler, acquired from Miami in a February trade, was a huge blow to the Warriors after he had 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the series opener. On top of Butler’s injury, the Warriors were also hampered by Brandin Podziemski’s stomach ailment.

He missed most of the first half dealing with the problem and was scoreless in 14 minutes after scoring 14 points in Game 1.

Final Thoughts

Vanessa Richardson was joined by Sengun after the big win!

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