Rockets Head Coach Ime Udoka: Tari Eason 'Impacts The Game In A Crazy Way'

The Rockets were one clean inbound and wide-open layup away from extending their winning streak to six games; however, Damian Lillard's driving layup with 3.9 seconds left ended up being the decider in the 101-100 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday. The Rockets overcame a 14-point, third-quarter deficit to take the lead in the fourth quarter and led until Lillard's closing basket. A strong defensive effort held stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard to 20 and 18 points, respectively, but this created an opportunity for role players such as Brook Lopez to take over. Lopez had 27 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks. "We were helping a little bit too much at times," Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said. Before Milwaukee, the Rockets earned a quality win in Chicago, defeating the Bulls 143-107 on Sunday. Fred VanVleet scored a season-high 28 points, while Alperen Sengun recorded his second triple-double of the season. All five starters reached double figures. "If we can get stops and run, that's when we're at our best," Udoka said. Despite a loss in Milwaukee, the Rockets have found a powerful spark off the bench in Tari Eason. The forward had 14 rebounds, four steals and three blocks against the Bucks. After missing much of last season due to a lower leg injury, Eason has improved through "the progression of playing consistent minutes," and he now "impacts the game in a crazy way," Udoka said. The Rockets return to the Toyota Center on Wednesday to host the Indiana Pacers in a matchup that will feature the debut of the 2024-25 City Edition uniform. The jersey celebrates the Rockets' 1994 and 1995 championships, and many former Rockets will be in attendance to commemorate the victories. "We got to put on a show and get a win for them."