The Houston Rockets (23-22) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (19-26) 102-98, on Friday night at Toyota Center in Houston.
Houston came into this game with quite a shake-up in their lineup. Dwight Howard and Patrick Beverley both sat this one out with sprained ankles but it was not about who was missing for the Rockets, rather who had joined. Josh Smith made his debut for Houston after being traded from the Clippers earlier on Friday. The Rockets had lost their last two games and three of their last four previous to this game but managed to grind out the win. Houston has now won its last five versus the Bucks.
The Rockets led by as many as 15 in the fourth quarter but Milwaukee battled back with a 32-point fourth quarter. The Bucks brought it to a two-point game with six seconds left but Trevor Ariza hit two clutch free throws to put the game just out of reach. Ariza finished the game with 19 points (5-15 FG, 5-11 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, two assists and one block, in 36 minutes. James Harden led Houston in scoring with 30 points (9-15 FG, 5-8 3Pt, 7-8 FT), along with eight assists, five rebounds and two steals, in 34 minutes. Terrence Jones was solid off the bench, with 14 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots. Meanwhile, Josh Smith only scored two points but dished six assists, grabbed five rebounds, two steals and blocked three shots, in his Rockets season debut.
Greg Monroe led the way for Milwaukee. Monroe finished with 21 points (10-17 FG), nine rebounds, four blocks and three assists, in 29 minutes. Khris Middleton also finished with 21 points (8-21 FG, 1-7 3Pt, 3-5 FT) and seven assists, in 42 minutes. Giannis Antetokounmpo was solid in 33 minutes, with 18 points, six rebounds and two assists. This loss snapped a three-game win streak for the Bucks, who needed this win to stay within three games of eighth in the East.
The Bucks will finish up their current four-game road trip on the second night of a back to back, in New Orleans on Saturday.
The Rockets will host the Mavericks on Sunday for a big Southwest Division match up.
