NBA scores: Harden's Rockets take down Giannis' Bucks in nail-biting 120-116 showdown

The Houston Rockets edged past the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks 120-116 to clinch their second straight victory at the NBA bubble. The Rockets came back after a poor defensive performance against the Dallas Mavericks, limiting the Bucks to 16-of-46 from the three-point range. Reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo made history for the Bucks, joining Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players to record 15 games with at least 30 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists in a season over the last five decades. 

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NBA Scores: Bucks vs Rockets highlights

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NBA scores: Harden, Westbrook win the Bucks vs Rockets showdown at NBA bubble

On Sunday night (Monday morning), Russell Westbrook led the Rockets to victory with 31 points to his name. This is the 36th consecutive game for Westbrook with at least 20 points, while James Harden followed with 24 points. The Rockets made 21 of their 61 three-point attempts during regulation, tying the number of the attempts with the previous NBA record. The Bucks secured a 112-104 lead with three minutes remaining on the clock, but the Rockets scored the next 9 points, including a block by Harden on Giannis, which gave them a 113-112 advantage.

Giannis acknowledged their loss in a post-game interview, admitting that they have to learn from their mistakes and "keep moving". Westbrook's free throws and Danuel House's steal put the Rockets on top with a three-point lead with 14 seconds left. Kris Middleton missed two three-point attempts, allowing the Rockets to secure victory.

The Bucks were without Eric Bledsoe and Pat Connaughton who are still recovering from COVID-19. The Rockets, on the other hand, were without Eric Gordan (sprained left ankle). As per ESPN, this is the first time a team has lost despite scoring at least 110 points, and limiting their opponent to shooting less than 40% (39.6%) from the field, while also rebounding the team by at least 25 (29). The Bucks will play the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, while the Rockets will face the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night (Wednesday IST). 

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Bucks vs Rockets NBA scores

• Giannis Antetokounmpo points – 36 points, 18 rebounds and 8 assists
• Russell Westbrook points – 31 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists
• Kris Middleton points – 27 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists
• James Harden points – 24 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists 
• Brook Lopez – 23 points, 12 rebounds and 2 assists
• Danuel House Jr – 16 points and 4 rebounds
• Robert Covington – 15 points and 7 rebounds
• PJ Tucker – 11 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists

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While the Rockets beat the Bucks, the Celtics took down the Portland Trail Blazers in a 128-124 win, Jayson Tatum scored 34 points for the Celtics, while Damian Lillard led the Trail Blazers with 30 points. The Trail Blazers are now in tenth in the Western Conference, three and two games behind the Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs respectively. The Grizzlies lost to the Spurs 108-106, while the Orlando Magic beat the Sacramento Kings 132-116.

Though the Mavericks lost to the Phoenix Suns 117-115, they have clinched their playoff spot, while the Suns remain on the 13th spot with a 28-39 win-loss record. The Bucks are still leading the league with a 54-13 record, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers at 50-15. The Eastern Conference has two playoff spots left, currently occupied by the Magic and Nets respectively, with the Washington Wizards at No. 9. The Grizzlies currently occupy the No. 8 seed in the West with a 32-35 record. 

(Image source: Houston Rockets official Instagram – @houstonrockets)