Rockets Rout the Bucks 132-100 to Stay Perfect at 5-0, as Fred VanVleet Scores a Season-High 24 in His Best Game Since His ACL Return

The Houston Rockets are the NBA's last word on perfect so far. Houston routed the Milwaukee Bucks 132-100 on Wednesday night at Fiserv Forum to improve to 5-0, the league's best record, behind a season-high 24 points from Fred VanVleet — by far his best scoring game since returning from a torn ACL that cost him all of last season, according to Reuters and the Associated Press game reports.

VanVleet had just 3 points until a 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the first half, then took the game over in the third quarter, scoring 15 points in the period and 15 consecutive Houston points at one stretch to push back Milwaukee's only push. He finished 7 of 14 from the field, 4 of 9 from three and a perfect 6 of 6 at the line, with 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Amen Thompson set the early tone with 11 first-quarter points and fueled a 15-2 run bridging the first two quarters, finishing with 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting. Kevin Durant added 18 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks; Jabari Smith Jr. scored 14; Bogdan Bogdanovic had 16 in 15 minutes off the bench; and Clint Capela added 10 points and 8 rebounds.

The game broke in the second quarter, when Houston outscored Milwaukee 34-14 for a 57-35 halftime lead while the Bucks missed 17 of their first 20 shots in the period. Houston shot 54.7 percent for the night, made 17 of 38 3-pointers and went 23 of 26 at the line — all without starting center Alperen Sengun, who sat with back soreness, and guard Marcus Smart, out with an elbow injury. Tyler Herro led Milwaukee (1-4) with 23 points and Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 19, while the Bucks' other three starters combined for just 12 points on 6-of-27 shooting. Next for Houston: a Friday trip to Dallas in NBA Cup play, per the AP. The filing comes from the Houston Bureau's watch of the Texas file.