The Rockets faced off against the Bucks on Sunday afternoon, desperately needing to grab a win after falling to the Spurs in NBA Cup play.
Houston ultimately came away with the win, storming back from down double-digits to grab a 122-115 victory.
The Bucks led for most of the game, though continued buckets from Kevin Durant, as well as several defensive plays from second-year guard Reed Sheppard, would propel the Rockets back into the game late. Down the stretch, Jabari Smith Jr. would hit a massive triples with just two minutes remaining to grab Houston’s first lead since the first.
From there, Houston would use a combination of clutch buckets and stops to grab the win.
Here were three takeaways from the game:
Sheppard saw a slower start to his second season, but has picked things up in November. He’s scored in double figures in all but one game in the month, including Sunday’s bout with Milwaukee.
He was a vital piece off the bench, going for 16 points on a solid 60% shooting, and adding a much-needed four steals and one block. He finished shooting a blazing 4-for-6 from beyond the arc.
Sheppard saw a phenomenal fourth quarter, turning defense to offense nearly single-handedly to help the Rockets back into the game. He had both a steal and a block that turned to transition dunks, and helped to close the arm’s length gap in the bout.
Houston had few answers for MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo, who continued his blazing hot start to the 2025-26 season.
Against the Rockets, he scored 37 points on 56% shooting overall, managing to tack on nine rebounds, three assists and a block. Just as he has for the last half-decade, he got downhill with force, bowling his way into the paint and finishing with ferocity.
The Rockets have more big bodies to throw at Antetokounmpo than most — including Smith, Tari Eason, Steven Adams, Alperen Sengun and more — though few could manage to stop him when he got a head of steam. He would miss three crucial free throws late that would help to seal the game for Houston.
The Rockets’ own MVP candidate in Durant was also superb, going for 31 points of his own.
The Rockets have seen and up-and-down season so far, starting with two losses before ripping off fight-straight wins.
Houston was outmatched against San Antonio days ago, and fell back in to the loss column. Suffice it to say, Sunday’s win against the Bucks was a much-needed one, as they avoided being just one game from .500, and instead are now double-positive at 6-3.
With the win, the Rockets also continue to separate themselves from other teams hanging around the middle of the Western Conference.
Houston will now see two days off before a game against the 1-9 Wizards, before moving on to tougher bouts in Portland, Orlando, Cleveland and Denver.
