Late 3-point spree leads Rockets over Bucks
HOUSTON -- James Harden and Eric Gordon keyed a fourth-quarter shooting exhibition that carried the Houston Rockets to a 111-92 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night at Toyota Center.
The Rockets (33-12) broke open a tight contest with four consecutive 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, extending a seven-point lead to a 98-79 cushion when Gordon sank a trey. Trevor Ariza began the surge before Harden hit two 3-pointers.
Gordon, who added another 3-pointer with just over three minutes left, had 25 points on 7-for-17 3-point shooting off the bench. He was 9 of 20 from the floor overall. Harden contributed 38 points, eight assists and six rebounds.
Houston shot 6 of 10 from behind the arc in the fourth quarter.
Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo posted 32 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and three blocks to pace Milwaukee (20-21), which dropped a third consecutive game for the third time this season. Forward Jabari Parker scored 15 points on 5-of-15 shooting, and Michael Beasley added 14 points for Milwaukee.
Antetokounmpo was instrumental in the initial Bucks surge in the first quarter, scoring three baskets in the paint while Milwaukee pushed to a 14-6 lead. He tallied the final three baskets in the period, following a pair of dunks with a driving layup that lifted the Bucks to a 27-22 lead entering the second quarter.
The offense dried up in the second for Milwaukee following a gorgeous spin move and layup by Antetokounmpo at the 7:38 mark. The Rockets followed with an 18-0 run to erase the three-point deficit, with Gordon sinking a pair of threes and Harden capping the run with consecutive driving layups.
Milwaukee made just one field goal over the second half of the second quarter as Houston closed the half on a 23-7 run for a 52-39 lead at the intermission. That Houston led by 13 at the break despite shooting 4 of 20 on 3-pointers spoke to its handiwork elsewhere. And when Antetokounmpo caught fire again in the third quarter, scoring 10 points during a 14-3 Bucks run that cut the deficit to 62-57, the Rockets had Harden and Gordon to thank for reclaiming control of the game.