On December 18, Beijing time, the NBA game continued, and the Rockets challenged the Bucks away, after the Rockets had won 5 consecutive victories, and the Bucks ranked second in the East with 3 consecutive wins. In this game, the Rockets' starting lineup is Dillon + Jalen Green + Smith + VanVleet + Shin Jing, and the Bucks' Big Three Brother, Lillard, and Middleton all played.
In the first half of the game, the overall strength of the Rockets was inferior to that of the Bucks and was at a disadvantage. In the first quarter, the Rockets trailed by 5 points at 28-33, the margin was not too big, the offense was good but the defense was not the best. In the second quarter, the Rockets' defense still had big problems, allowing the Bucks to score 38 points in a single quarter, and by the end of the half, the Rockets had fallen behind by double digits.
In the second half, after the Rockets adjusted, their form improved. In the third quarter, the Rockets went 31-29 in a single quarter, and the difference came to within 10 points. In the final quarter, the Rockets played 5-2 and only trailed by 6 points and saw the hope of winning. In the end, the Rockets lost to the Bucks 119-128, ending a five-game winning streak, while the Bucks won four in a row and won 13 consecutive wins at home, continuing to rank second in the East and one of the biggest championship favorites this season.
The Bucks' Lillard chipped in 39 points, 5 rebounds and 11 assists and played an MVP-level performance, with Antetokounmpo 26 points, 17 rebounds and 3 assists, Middleton 20 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists, Lopez 18 points and 6 rebounds, Jackson 9 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists, Portis 11 points and 6 rebounds, and Connaughton 5 points and 4 assists. The Rockets' Shin Kyung had a great performance, chipped in 20 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists, VanVleet 22 points, 2 rebounds and 6 assists, Jalen Green 16 points and 7 assists, Dillon 18 points and 4 rebounds, Smith 16 points and 5 rebounds, Eason 11 points and 6 rebounds, and Jeff Green 16 points.
At the end of this game, the Rockets are in 9th place in the West, and the Lakers have managed to enter the top 8 in the West, thanks to Lillard, who continued to score to help the team suppress the Rockets during the Bucks' most difficult time, while the Lakers took advantage of the fisherman. I also need to congratulate James, in the absence of a game today, the ranking is still improving, Lao Zhan can temporarily breathe a sigh of relief, he can be arranged to rest, in the past period, James is really tired, and he also helped the Lakers win the championship, as a 39-year-old veteran, there is no doubt how great he is.
The Rockets are also considered to be a failure, although the strength is not as good as the Bucks, but at least once saw the hope of winning, the whole team of 7 scored double-doubles, this Rockets team is playing team basketball, although it does not reach the championship level, but it is enough to disrupt the situation of the playoff competition, and it will also be a dark horse in the West.