MILWAUKEE – Andrew Bogut had 24 points, 22 rebounds and blocked five shots to lead the Milwaukee Bucks over the Houston Rockets, 97-91 on Friday night to finish their homestand 3-1.
It was Bogut's fourth 20-20 performance of his career and his best rebounding effort since dislocating his right elbow, breaking his hand and wrist in an eye-averting fall last April.
Bogut, the No. 1 overall pick in 2005, had missed five games this season with back spasms, but in his last four games is averaging 20.8 points and 16 rebounds, with the Bucks' only loss coming to Miami.
Houston went nearly 7 minutes without a field goal and couldn't rally in the final minute despite 23 points from Kevin Martin.
Milwaukee (9-13) was a surprise playoff team last season and finally looks to be rounding into form this one despite averaging an NBA low 91.2 points. Brandon Jennings scored 19 and John Salmons, who has struggled shooting recently, finished 7 of 12 for 17 points in 42 minutes.
Jordan Hill's jumper made it 83-82 with 7:29 left, but the Rockets didn't make another field goal until Kyle Lowry's 3-pointer with 32 seconds remaining.
Bogut missed a dunk, got his own rebound and hit a floater to put Milwaukee up six, then grabbed another offensive rebound on the next possession off Jennings' miss and made it 90-82 with 4:16 left.
After Luis Scola fouled Ersan Ilyasova on a 3-point attempt and Ilyasova made all three foul shots to finish with 13 points, Lowry hit consecutive 3s around a free throw by Jennings that made it 94-91 with 23 seconds left.
Jennings again hit one of two free throws, Brad Miller missed a 3-point attempt and Bogut had an easy layup that sealed it in the final seconds.
Scola finished with 10 points, 11 under his season average. Courtney Lee added 16 points and Lowry had 11.
Salmons gave Milwaukee its first double-digit advantage midway through the third quarter. But Martin scored 11 points in the period and Jermaine Taylor's 9-foot jumper cut Milwaukee's lead to 73-71 heading into the fourth.
The Rockets are 1-1 in a stretch of 10 of 11 games against teams under .500, a perfect opportunity to make up for a slow start without Aaron Brooks and Yao Ming. Both Rockets starters have been out indefinitely since early November.
Milwaukee hit 50 percent of its shots in the first half, the final one on a floater by Jennings that made it 47-43 with 12 seconds left. Rookie Larry Sanders blocked a shot by Lowry on the other end, and Bogut threw an outlet pass to Chris Douglas-Roberts, who sank a 35-footer a split-second after the buzzer that was waved off.
Notes: Bucks F Drew Gooden (left foot) missed his sixth game in the last seven, but hopes to return sometime next week. ... Brooks (left ankle) and Ming (left ankle) have missed a combined 34 games. ... Houston had won 10 of the previous 11 meetings against Milwaukee. ... The Bucks have a two-game Texas trip to San Antonio and Dallas and play 16 of their next 25 on the road.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.