Fred VanVleet scored 15 of his 24 points in the third quarter while Amen Thompson added 23 points as the visiting Houston Rockets beat the Milwaukee Bucks 132-100 on Wednesday.
Thompson tallied 11 first-quarter points and fueled a 15-2 run that bridged the opening two frames and enabled Houston to seize control. Kevin Durant scored 18 points for the Rockets, who were without starting center Alperen Sengun (back) and guard Marcus Smart (elbow).
Tyler Herro led the Bucks with 23 points and four 3-pointers while Jaime Jaquez Jr. chipped in 19 points and three 3-pointers. The Bucks’ three remaining starters — Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma and Ryan Rollins — finished 6 for 27 and combined for 12 points.
The Bucks were feisty early and rode an 8-0 spurt capped by an AJ Green 3-pointer to a 19-16 lead late in the opening period.
But Thompson scored five points during the Rockets’ 7-2 run to close out the period, and he and Durant added dunks early in the second to help Houston extend to a 31-21 lead.
Green slowed that surge with another 3 for the Bucks, but VanVleet had three free throws and Jabari Smith Jr. (14 points) drilled a 3-pointer as the Rockets pushed their lead to 47-28 with an 8-0 run.
The Bucks missed 17 of 20 shots to open the second quarter and committed three turnovers during that stretch. VanVleet nailed a 3-pointer late in the half to give the Rockets a 57-35 lead at the break and provided a preview of his scorching third quarter to come.
Jaquez sparked a burst early in the third quarter that helped the Bucks close to within 15 points. But VanVleet answered by scoring 15 consecutive points for the Rockets, including three free throws to push the lead back to 81-61. VanVleet assisted on Thompson’s reverse layup on the ensuing possession, and the Rockets carried a 95-69 lead into the final period.
The Rockets shot 54.7% from the floor and made 17 of 38 3-pointers. Houston made 23 of 26 free throws.
