Doc Rivers always believed in Damian Lillard taking the last shot.

Damian Lillard scored a driving layup with 3.9 seconds left, contributing to the final seven points of the game, as the Milwaukee Bucks held off the Houston Rockets for a 101-100 win on Monday. Despite trailing by 13 points and later giving up a 14-point lead, Doc Rivers and the Bucks secured the victory at Fiserv Forum, ending the Rockets’ five-game winning streak.

“Dame just has great courage…Whether he’s on fire or not, he just has this thing in him that he believes that he should take the last shot and make the last shot,” said Doc Rivers post-game while talking about Lillard.

Milwaukee improved to 5-9 with its third win in four games. The Bucks rallied as a team, while the Rockets contained Giannis Antetokounmpo. He scored 20 points on 9-of-17 shooting, and Houston took advantage of 16 turnovers, scoring 24 points off them.

Antetokounmpo committed eight turnovers as the Rockets utilized their length to disrupt passing lanes and employed clever defensive strategies to force offensive fouls.

Brook Lopez led the way for the Bucks with 27 points, while Gary Trent Jr. contributed 12 off the bench. Bobby Portis Jr. added 11 points. AJ Green scored five but hit a crucial three-pointer in the fourth quarter. He, along with Andre Jackson Jr., Delon Wright, and Trent, played key roles in the team’s defensive effort.

Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo lifting the Milwaukee Bucks

Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

The game came down to the stars for Milwaukee, starting with Antetokounmpo. For the third consecutive game, he delivered amazing defensive play—this time, without committing any fouls. With 19.7 seconds remaining and the Bucks trailing 100-99, he soared to tip-block a floater by Houston center Alperen Şengün.

“That’s a tough block. That’s the Giannis – when he’s that active and that good, we’re just great,” said Rivers.

The Bucks chose not to call a timeout, quickly pushing the ball up the court. Damian Lillard navigated through the Rockets’ defense, finishing with an athletic layup to give Milwaukee a 101-100 lead with 3.9 seconds remaining. This came after he had missed a step-back, go-ahead three-pointer with 44 seconds left, which set up Antetokounmpo’s clutch defensive play.

The Rockets ran two in-bound plays in the final 3.9 seconds, but with 2 seconds remaining, Jackson wisely fouled off the ball, forcing another in-bound attempt. Green and Trent miscommunicated, double-teaming one player, while the Bucks appeared disoriented as the ball was passed in. However, the Rockets couldn’t secure possession and failed to get off a shot before time expired.

Fred VanVleet led the Rockets with 26 points on 9-of-23 shooting, while Jalen Green added 21 points, and Alperen Şengün contributed 18 points, making 8 of his 20 attempts.

Lillard returning from injury

Lillard came back to action Monday night after sitting out three games while in the NBA’s concussion protocol. The All-Star guard appeared a bit off, recording 18 points on 6-of-18 shooting, with a 0-for-6 mark from three-point range.

The Bucks sharpshooter entered the game averaging 26 points per game on 44% shooting.

Despite his shooting struggles, Lillard played a crucial role as a playmaker, dishing out 10 assists, including a key pass to set up a three-pointer that narrowed the Rockets’ lead to 100-99 with 77 seconds left. While he missed a three-pointer with 44 seconds remaining, Lillard drove through traffic to score the game-winning layup, securing the Bucks’ victory.

Lillard was accidentally struck in the eye by a referee after time expired at the end of the third quarter during the Bucks’ game against Boston on Nov. 10. Although he played seven minutes in the fourth quarter, he reported symptoms the next day.

Both teams are in action on Wednesday, with the Rockets hosting the Indiana Pacers and the Bucks facing off against the Chicago Bulls at home.