Rockets Cruise Past Shorthanded Bucks

Houston takes care of business at home against depleted Milwaukee squad.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 4:41pm

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The Houston Rockets (46-29) easily handled the undermanned Milwaukee Bucks (30-45) with a 120-96 victory at home. Led by 27 points and 8 assists from Kevin Durant, the Rockets jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, finishing the night with 35 assists on 42 made field goals.

Why it matters

The win keeps the Rockets in the hunt for a top-4 seed in the Western Conference, as they sit just 1.5 games behind the Denver Nuggets. Meanwhile, the Bucks continue to struggle without star Giannis Antetokounmpo, falling further out of playoff position in the Eastern Conference.

The details

The Rockets' balanced scoring attack and unselfish play proved too much for the short-handed Bucks. In addition to Durant's big night, Alperen Sengun filled up the stat sheet, Reed Sheppard provided a spark off the bench with 20 points, and the Amen Thompson/Tari Eason defensive duo disrupted Milwaukee's offense. On the other side, the Bucks were led by Ryan Rollins' 24 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds, but struggled to generate consistent offense without Giannis and Bobby Portis.

  • The Rockets won their third straight game, including a 111-94 victory over the Knicks last night.
  • The Bucks are coming off a 123-99 win over the Mavericks, but remain in a tough spot at 30-45 on the season.

The players

Kevin Durant

The Rockets' star forward scored 27 points and dished out 8 assists to lead his team to victory.

Alperen Sengun

The Rockets' versatile big man contributed in multiple ways, functioning as both a facilitator out of the post and a scoring threat.

Ryan Rollins

The Bucks' guard led the team with 24 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds in the loss.

Amen Thompson

The Rockets' rookie guard, paired with Tari Eason, provided disruptive defense that disrupted the Bucks' offense.

Tari Eason

The Rockets' second-year forward has been a key contributor during their recent winning streak, averaging 16 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

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What they’re saying

“We must continue to play with this kind of energy and unselfishness if we want to make a deep playoff run.”

— Kevin Durant, Rockets Forward

“It's tough without our best players, but we have to find a way to compete every night. This is a learning experience for our young guys.”

— Ryan Rollins, Bucks Guard

What’s next

The Rockets will look to continue their winning streak on Friday when they host the Denver Nuggets in a key Western Conference matchup. The Bucks will try to regroup and get healthier as they continue their playoff push.

The takeaway

The Rockets' balanced scoring attack and stifling defense proved too much for the shorthanded Bucks, keeping Houston in the hunt for a top-4 seed in the West. Meanwhile, Milwaukee's struggles without Giannis Antetokounmpo highlight the importance of their superstar and the uphill battle they face to make the playoffs.