October 27, 2026 at 5:14 AM UTC

Pregame Analysis

Unbeaten Rockets Meet a Retooling Bucks Team in Milwaukee

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Houston's top-end talent should be too much for a new-look Milwaukee group still finding its footing.

Milwaukee's first season without Giannis Antetokounmpo has started rough. The Bucks are 1-3 by most accounts, though one report lists them at 0-3, and they now face a Houston team that arrives 4-0. The roster is younger and built around guards, so the Bucks will play differently than in recent years, and they are still working out what this version of the team does best.

One thing is settled: the starting lineup. Ryan Rollins, Tyler Herro, Kyle Kuzma, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Myles Turner have started every game. Milwaukee also appears to be healthy, with two sources listing no injuries and a third having no report yet. The more interesting piece is the bench. Kasparas Jakucionis has closed games against Washington and Chicago without starting, and the Bucks cut Porter to make room for him and Burries. The young guard's late-game poise could decide whether Milwaukee stays in this one into the fourth quarter.

Houston's strength is its top-end talent. Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun and Thompson lead the Rockets in scoring, assists and rebounding, and all three made key plays in the win over San Antonio. Sengun had 29 points and seven assists in that game. Milwaukee's guard-heavy rotation will have to deal with Sengun's playmaking and Durant's scoring, and the Bucks have shown no sign yet that they can do it consistently.

Milwaukee has a stable lineup, and Jakucionis gives it a spark late. Houston has the better stars and the better start, and I expect the Rockets to take control in the second half. The Bucks should stay competitive for stretches, but Houston's playmaking and scoring should hold up.

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