After a missed start to the season, the Houston Rockets had strung together seven consecutive victories, including Chicago and Brooklyn hanging on their hunting table. And dreamed of affording the Milwaukee Bucks, defending champions, Friday at home. Missed. Giannis Antetokounmpo and his teammates finally brought Houston back to earth (123-114), after a close match.
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Milwaukee pulls away at the last minute
After a balanced first quarter, the Rockets widened a gap (59-49, 22nd) then returned to the locker room with a lead of seven points (65-58). Houston escaped again at the start of the fourth and final quarter (98-90), but then suffered a 10-0, which repositioned Milwaukee (40th). The Bucks then took the game in hand, but only escaped in the last minute (119-112, 47th).
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Antetokounmpo was the main architect of his team’s success, with a stratospheric double-double (41 points, 17 rebounds). Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis each scored 21 points. The Houston Rockets, they relied on a trio Mathews (23 pts) – Wood (21) – Brooks (21). On Sunday, Milwaukee will challenge New York, while Houston will visit Memphis on Saturday.
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McGee et Payne emmènent Phoenix
Every day, his pain for the Phoenix Suns. The finalists of last season were already deprived of their star Devin Booker, injured in the left hamstring. On Friday, before facing the Boston Celtics, they also lost their pivot DeAndre Ayton (sick, but not from Covid-19). Diminished, they nevertheless dominated the Boston Celtics (111-90), who suffered a third loss in a row.
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Phoenix waited a quarter (25-24, 12th), before going on the attack. The Suns handed their opponent a severe 32-15 and had an 18-point lead (57-39) at the break. Boston then never managed to catch up. Phoenix even allowed itself to widen the gap further (106-80, 43rd).
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In the absence of Booker and Ayton, the Arizona franchise has relied in particular on JaVale McGee (21 points, 15 rebounds) and Cameron Payne (17 points in 22 minutes, having started the game on the bench). The best scorer of the meeting was on the side of Boston (Jayson Tatum, 24 pts). Phoenix will play with the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday, while Boston will have another big game in the pipeline, against Milwaukee on Monday.
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