Challenging homestand begins with the Bucks

The Rockets happily returned home to begin a seven-game homestand. Now, comes the tough part.

The next four games are all against teams in playoff or play-in position, starting with Sunday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

While the Rockets have played the most road games in the NBA, the Bucks, who have the best road record in the NBA in the past five seasons, have played the fewest games on the road. But they are in a stretch with 11 of 15 games on the road, coming off a win in Dallas on Friday. They have won seven of their past eight games.

The Rockets have a three-game home winning streak after taking arguably their best win, the double-overtime win against the 76ers.

Hit those shots

The Rockets made 34.5 percent of their 3s on Thursday, which represented a slight improvement from their struggles in recent weeks. That likely will not be good enough against the Bucks.

Another Freak show?

Ja Morant scored more points against the Rockets the night before the Rockets faced the Bucks, but Giannis Antetokounmpo likely had the most dominant night of any Rockets’ opponent this season.

He scored 44 points in 17 of 21 shooting in the first meeting, adding 12 rebounds and three assists. He’s averaging 31.9 points per game, and his 11 rebounds per game are the most for any of the top 10 scorers.

Build a wall

The Rockets tend to gamble for steals in the backcourt. Do that against the Bucks, and Antetokounmpo is cleared for liftoff.

The Rockets give up the most-fast break points in the NBA, an average of 17.8 per game. Much of that is because they commit the most turnovers in the NBA.

Start on time

The Rockets’ issues with staggering slow starts continued Thursday in San Antonio when the Spurs made their first five shots. This time, the Rockets were scoring, too, so they did not dig a deep, early hole.

In the first quarters of the Rockets’ past five games, Rockets opponents have made 61.7 percent of their shots and 47.8 percent of their 3s to score an average of 34.6 points.

20-20 vision

Rockets guards Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr., who combined for 40 points in the first meeting with the Bucks and average 21.3 and 18.8 points per game, respectively, have both scored at least 20 points in five games this season, but just once in the past nine games, Monday’s win against the 76ers.

In the six games since the Rockets last extended homestand, Green has made 35.1 percent of his shots and just 16.7 percent of his 3s; Porter 39.3 and 38.5 percent.