Recap: Houston Rockets 104 – Miami Heat 113
Mar 16, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Houston Rockets guard Patrick Beverley (left) and Miami Heat forward LeBron James (right) exchange words during the second half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Coming into this game, both teams needed to get back on track. The Rockets, coming off of a horrific loss in Chicago, while the Heat have lost 5 of their last 6. So, who won the game to get back on track?
In the first quarter, the game went back-and-forth. Both teams were making their shots, and we knew we were tuned in to a great game. It’s always fun to see these two teams play. The similarity of these two teams makes this matchup so good.The Houston Rockets were trying to get Dwight Howard involved early. Howard got the ball down low, and got some easy dunks. On the other end, LeBron James had the same easy dunks and looks as Dwight. At the end of the first quarter, the Miami Heat led 32-28.
To the second quarter they went, and this quarter was not that much different. James Harden started to join Dwight Howard to provide scoring, while LeBron James and Dwyane Wade kept doing their thing. Turnovers were a huge aspect in this game, and both teams were really playing up-tempo. Whether it was the Heat peforming the pick-and-roll or the Rockets trying to rummage their way to the rim, both teams were able to score. At halftime, the Miami Heat still held the lead, 57-54.
As the third quarter came along, the Houston Rockets knew that they were within striking distance, and could take the lead for the first time of the afternoon. Well, who on the Rockets gets his team back into the game better than James Harden?!? THE BEARD! James Harden was finally able to continue his success from the second quarter. He was given space to create good-looking shots, and he took advantage. While Harden was coming alive, that doesn’t mean that Wade and LeBron would cool off. Although they were all scoring the ball, Harden gave the Rockets enough production to give them the lead heading into the final quarter. The Rockets head into the 4th quarter leading 81-79.
No lead is safe, and nothing is more scarier than only having a 2 point lead heading into the final quarter on the road. As long as the Rockets could keep scoring while playing decent defense, they should be fine. Sadly, that didn’t happen. Out of nowhere, Ray Allen came alive. Similar to Francisco Garcia trying to provide a spark against the Thunder on Tuesday, Ray Allen put on a show in the fourth quarter. When you leave Allen open behind the arc, you will face the consequence. While the Heat were rolling on offense, the Houston Rockets went ice cold. What do I mean by ice cold? The Miami Heat went on a 15-2 run in the last 3 minutes and 40 seconds of the game. That run capped off a win for the Miami Heat. Many fans blamed the refs for helping the Heat get back into the game. I would say that the Rockets’ shot selection was a little off, and Miami did what they had to do to close out. It is always hard to win on the road, and close a game out. Unfortunately, the Miami Heat came out on top, 113-104.
Games like these hurt. Hopefully, the Houston Rockets can get back on track tomorrow night when they face the Utah Jazz in Houston at 7:00 PM on CSN Houston.