The Houston Rockets managed to come back as a winner after losing a match against San Antonio. They faced the Milwaukee Bucks and won 122-115, overcoming a 50-61 halftime deficit by completely dominating the third and fourth quarters.
For most of the game, the Bucks led, but Kevin Durant came through to turn the tide around. Reed Sheppard has also done an amazing job for the defense, who was also the key player who propelled the Rockets back into the game at the end of the play. Among all of the Rockets’ key players, Jabari Smith Jr. was the one who grabbed the first lead with massive triples with just two minutes on the clock.
Three Takeaways From the Loss to the Rockets
1. Reed Sheppard Extends His November Streak
Early in the season, Reed Sheppard didn’t have too much attention on him. He didn’t show any particularly impressive play, but November came, and he decided to show up. His play improved noticeably, including during this match against the Bucks.
In every November game save for one game out for injury, he managed to score double figures. He did the same when he played in the Sunday game with Milwaukee. He was a key piece throughout, despite starting on the bench. He took 16 points, hitting 60% of his shots, making four steals, and stopping one of the shots. He finished with an impressive four out of six three-point shots.
He was specifically exceptional in the fourth quarter. He nearly single-handedly turned defense into offense, creating scoring opportunities for his team. He made one block and one steal, both leading to fast-break dunks.
He was one of the key players who helped his team narrow the lead the Bucks had maintained. Thus, they can get close enough to compete for the win. One single momentum changed the entire flow of the game, which is one of the reasons why sports fans love to wager on the best NFL betting sites, or in this case, the NBA. Many fans might be surprised, now hopeful, seeing Sheppard’s extended streak, and will be seeing how he performs in the upcoming matches.
2. Giannis’s Unstoppable Force
The Houston Rockets may have won the game, but Giannis Antetokounmpo is still a force on the court. MVP candidate Giannis had been consistent with his performance as he started the season. The Rockets’ defense struggled to contain Giannis. He still managed to score 37 points and finished with a 56% shooting overall, 1 block, 3 assists, and 9 rebounds.
Giannis has remained as powerful as he always has been for the last half-decade. He showed aggressive play and was powerful enough to break through defenders and get into the paint.
The Rockets were clearly struggling to face his strong finishes. Tari Eason, Steven Adams, Smith, and Alperen Sengun are all tall and big enough to match up with Giannis.
Still, Giannis did have some crucial misses. He missed three important free throws during the late game. It was a costly mistake as it gave Houston a chance to secure the win. In addition, he had to face the Rockets’ MVP candidate, Kevin Durant, who was as impressive as he was.
Many commented on how Milwaukee doesn’t have enough support to back Antetokounmpo. Ryan Rollins is supposed to be the team’s second-leading scorer. Yet, his inconsistency made him inadequate to stand on equal grounds with Giannis.
Myles Turner, who’s also a supposed second star, had only contributed 13 points alongside one three-pointer. The fact that the rest of the team couldn’t catch up with Giannis suggests that the team needs to worry about its roster deficiencies going forward.
3. A Much-Needed Win for the Rockets
The Rockets have been on a rollercoaster ride this season. They started with two losses, but then followed with fight-straight wins.
Before facing the Bucks, the Rockets were outmatched by the San Antonio Spurs. They fell back into the loss bracket. That might be one of the reasons why their match against the Bucks was much more important. It was a much-needed win to ensure the team doesn’t stay one game from .500. Now, with them winning the Bucks, they’re double-positive with 6-3.
main image credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
