At last, the Rockets exhibited their second-best offense and defense.

It was too late. Sunday, the Rockets stayed in the game until the fourth quarter when they earned stops, but a Bucks push snapped their five-game winning streak, 128-119.

Rockets shot better in the first half than much of their winning streak. They made 58.5% of shots at halftime. They reached 65% second-quarter. The deficit remained 71-60.

Damian Lillard was unstoppable in the first quarter and Giannis Antetokounmpo ruled the second. They scored 37 first-half points. But the Rockets were hammered on the boards, making it hard to keep up.

The Bucks defeated the Brooklyn Nets 120-119 in April last year with 44 points from Giannis Antetokounmpo. He overtook Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the team’s all-time points leader that day.

After the game, he informed reporters:

“I don’t want to be a running-dunking guy. The story is changing.”

Gamework was never abandoned by Antetokounmpo. He passed Paul Pressey as the Bucks’ leading dimes-giver in February. “The Greek Freak” did it in Milwaukee’s 112-100 triumph over the Bulls.

Giannis Antetokounmpo joins LeBron James, Michael Jordan in extremely rare NBA stat

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo holds multiple franchise records. He has the most games, minutes, field goals, free throws, blocks, usage percentage, and value over replacement player.

At 29, the seven-time All-Star is still in his peak. Keeping with the Milwaukee Bucks may help him set more records before retiring.

After allowing the NBA’s lowest second-chance points in December, the Rockets were outscored 13-0 off оffensive rebounds in the first half.

The Bucks survived by improving on the boards. For the eighth time this season, all starters scored in double figures with 6½ minutes left, slowing the Bucks’ scoring and restricting second-chance points.

Khris Middleton scored the first 12 Bucks points of the quarter, threatening to take over from Lillard and Antetokounmpo. Lillard and Antetokounmpo soon joined him, with Lillard defeating Alperen Şengün and draining a 3 before Antetokounmpo drove to a three-point play.

Antetokounmpo extended the margin to seven with three minutes left after Fred VanVleet kept the Rockets within six. Jabari Smith Jr. missed a mid-range shot and a drive before Jalen Green missed a 3-pointer.

The Rockets had found their stops, but three consecutive empty possessions allowed the Bucks to extend their advantage to nine with 1:27 left. They had repaired their defense and boards too late to finish their comeback.

The Bucks were poised to dribble out the close with 38.9 seconds left when Dillon Brooks and Ime Udoka were penalized for two technical fouls. A 13-5 run by Lillard included three free throws to extend the lead to 12. Rockets felt they had delayed too long to slow the league’s second-leading scoring club.

Stat leaders (points) — Fred VanVleet, 22. Damian Lillard, 39, Bucks

Rocket: Alperen Şengün, 8 rebounds; Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo, 17.

Rockets’ Jalen Green has 7 assists. Damian Lillard, 11.

Antetokounmpo set a Bucks franchise record with 7,162 career rebounds by grabbing his 14th with 7:46 left in the game after a Tari Eason miss. Already the Bucks’ club leader in points and assists.

He matched his season high with 17 rebounds.