Rockets Stay Perfect at 5-0: VanVleet's 24 Points Lead a 132-100 Rout of the Bucks in His Best Game Since the ACL
Fred VanVleet had 3 points until a buzzer trey before halftime, then took the game over - 24 points in a 32-point win at Milwaukee, with three starters hurt and Houston still owning the NBA's best record.
HOUSTON - The Houston Rockets are 5-0, alone with the NBA's best record, and the most encouraging part of Wednesday's 132-100 rout at Milwaukee was not the margin. It was who produced it. Fred VanVleet, in by far his best scoring game since returning from a torn ACL, finished with a season-high 24 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals - and almost none of it came early. He had 3 points until a last-second three-pointer going into halftime; the second half was a takeover. 'About time,' VanVleet said. 'I needed that one. It's been a long process to get back, so it felt good to feel like myself out there.'
He had plenty of company. Amen Thompson scored 23, Kevin Durant added 18 points with 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks, Jabari Smith Jr. had 14, Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 16 in just 15 minutes, and Clint Capela put up 10 points and 8 rebounds. Houston shot 54.8 percent from the field, 44.7 percent from three and 88.5 percent at the line, and paired that with 12 steals and 10 blocks while holding the Bucks - now 1-4, with Tyler Herro's 23 their high mark - to 40.2 percent shooting.
The win came short-handed, which is its own statement. Alperen Sengun (low back soreness) and Marcus Smart (left forearm strain) are day to day and could return very soon; Steven Adams (right calf strain) is expected to miss at least another week. Next up is the season's first tournament test: Friday at Dallas, 7 p.m. Central, opening Emirates NBA Cup group play for both teams - a 5-0 Rockets side walking into its rival's building with its veteran guard finally looking like himself.
