HOUSTON _ It was going to take a perfect game on both ends for the Milwaukee Bucks to knock off the Western Conference-leading Houston Rockets on Saturday night in Houston.
The Bucks hung around into the fourth quarter, but like their previous two losses this week, they couldn't break through down the stretch en route to a 115-111 loss at the Toyota Center. For the Rockets, the victory was their 13th in a row as they improved to 14-0 when both James Harden and Chris Paul take the court.
While the final score was close, the Rockets were in control down the stretch and their lead wasn't threatened. The closest the Bucks got was within three with 2.3 seconds left when Giannis Antetokounmpo _ who led the Bucks with 28 points _ put back a miss by Eric Bledsoe and drew a foul. He missed the ensuing free throw intentionally, but Milwaukee couldn't get the rebound.
The Bucks stayed close with the Rockets until early in the fourth quarter when their offense virtually disappeared. It was a four-point game with 10:16 remaining when Sterling Brown knocked down a shot.
Milwaukee's next shot didn't fall until there were 5 minutes, 59 seconds left in the game.
In that span, the Bucks missed six shots in a row and Brown committed a turnover. While the Bucks were struggling, the Rockets used an 8-0 run to build a 12-point lead without Harden on the court.
From there, the Bucks just couldn't catch up. Each time they had a run the Rockets had an answer. It didn't help that Milwaukee was whistled for a season-high 24 fouls and Houston capitalized on those opportunities, making 34 of 42 free throws.
Houston, which makes and attempts more 3-pointers than any team in the league, was just 4 of 19 (21.1 percent) on triples in the first two quarters. That changed quickly in the second half, as the Rockets embarked on a 15-4 run over the opening five minutes of the third quarter to open things up.
All of those points came as a result of 3-pointers, with Paul making three _ after going 0 of 5 from the field in the first half _ and Milwaukee's DeAndre Liggins and John Henson committing fouls on 3-point shooters, who made all six shots.
While that run opened Houston's largest lead of the game, Milwaukee remained undeterred. The Bucks bounced back by locking down on defense, holding the Rockets to just three points over 4{ minutes as they went on a 14-3 run to tie the score late in the third.
During that run, the Bucks coaxed two turnovers, blocked a pair of shots and held the Rockets to 1 of 7 shooting. The score stayed within a basket into the final minutes of the period before Harden, who had 30 points, made a 3-pointer and beat the buzzer with a layup to put Houston ahead by five entering the final frame.
