Rockets and Bucks Collide in the Mean Streets of Milwaukee
Deep Water. No Headlights. Litmus Test.
Aiming for their sixth straight win, the Rockets close their Great Lakes road-trip with a visit to Milwaukee to face the Bucks. Houston is coming off a 143-107 blowout victory in Chicago over the Bulls last night. Milwaukee has had a night of rest, but the Rockets were able to somewhat rest their guys, as no starter played more than 28 minutes in Chi-Town. A key component for this stretch in the schedule for Houston. Tonight’s match is the second of five games in seven nights for the Rockets. They blasted off to a great start in Chicago, but the proceedings won’t be as easy in the mean streets of Milwaukee.
The Bucks are off to a disappointing 4-9 start to the season, but don’t let their record fool you. Giannis Antetokounmpo is still one of the best players in the world. The Great Freak is averaging 32.9 PPG, 12.3 RPG, and 6.1 APG this season. Damian Lillard has missed Milwaukee’s last three games, but of course, right on schedule, he’s expected to make his return tonight against the Rockets. Lillard has been a certified Rocket-killer dating back to his days with the Portland Trail Blazers. And Giannis also usually seems to play well against Houston. In his last game against the Rockets, the Greek Freak scored 48 points on 16-for-25 shooting, and grabbed 17 rebounds. Houston’s key to victory is minimizing Giannis’ transition opportunities, and keeping him out of the paint. The Rockets need to build a defensive wall of sorts to force Giannis to shoot jumpers. Expect to see a heavy dose of the Terror Twins (Amen Thompson and Tari Eason) on the court tonight for Houston.
Milwaukee has other players who can do damage tonight besides their two superstars. Bobby Portis Jr. always seems to play well against the Rockets, and despite coming off the bench, “Crazy Eyes” performs like an All-Star when he faces Houston. And Brook Lopez is always capable of scoring 30 points on any given night. It’s the perfect time for Alperen Sengun to record a third straight triple-double, but that’s wishful thinking. Ignore the Bucks 4-9 record. These Bucks won’t be playing like deer in headlights tonight. The Rockets are in deep water tonight if they come out of the gates slow. Milwaukee has three players (Lillard, Giannis, and Portis Jr.) who are used to having huge games when they meet Houston. Lillard has the most history, and given he’s returning from a three-game absence in front of the home fans, expect Dame Dolla to have another explosive performance against the Rockets and energize the Milwaukee crowd.
Tonight’s tilt is a litmus test of sorts to see if this Houston team is for real, and if they’re as good as their 10-4 record states. The Rockets are in the midst of a brutal stretch in the schedule. Not only is this contest a back-to-back, but it’s the second of five games in seven nights for Houston. The Bucks are desperate to get back on the winning track. Milwaukee is coming off a tough one-point road loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night. The Rockets have shown true growth from last year to the beginning of this season. After a rough 1-2 start, Houston is 9-2 over their last 11 games, with both losses coming to the two teams ahead of them in the Western Conference standings (Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder). The Rockets didn’t win their sixth road game last year until well into the season. Road struggles were a theme last season for Houston, but this Rockets team is different. Houston shoots for seventh heaven on the road, as they aim to improve to 7-2 away from Toyota Center with a win over the Bucks tonight. This matchup is also the first nationally televised (NBA TV) game the Rockets have played in this season. And both teams have things to prove in tis contest. The Bucks want to prove they’re not a joke. The Rockets want to show everyone that they are for real. After a few blowouts, expect a much closer and contested matchup in the mean streets of Milwaukee on Monday night.
Fiserv Forum: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Jersey Colors:
Houston Rockets (10-4): White
Milwaukee Bucks (4-9): Green
Tip-Off: 7:00 PM CT
TV: Space City Home Network, NBA TV