Rockets Ride Hot Streak into Miami, Looking For a Baker’s Dozen
Bake Half a Dozen. MVP, GreenHouse Effect, Brings Heat to Miami.
The Houston Rockets stroll into South Beach, riding their longest winning streak of the season. The critics are questioning if this streak is just another upswing in a rollercoaster season full of ups and downs. Or are the Rockets back to being the Rockets. Houston shoots for its longest winning streak of the year tonight in Miami as they take on a Heat squad coming off to of they’re most impressive wins of the year. The Heat are riding their own mini-streak as they’ve impressively gutted out consecutive road wins over two of the fourteen teams (Pelicans and Grizzlies) fighting for playoff position in the West. Unfortunately for Miami, they recently lost their starting point guard, the vastly underrated former Rocket, Goran Dragic, to an injury recently as he will be out for tonight’s contest. This should give Chris Paul an even further advantage, as he strives to get his form back, and remain out of his prior slump. James Harden has been on a tear offensively. Don’t just look at the numbers. The Beard’s playing with a fiery intensity he’s yet to reveal in his career, playing the best basketball of his life, as he continues his quest to put every opposing team’s big man on a poster. The rest of the squad finally came to life last night, setting an NBA-record with 26 3 pointers made on 55 attempts from beyond the arc. The Rockets hope to carry the hot hands with them as they take on a Heat team that’s ceiling is, at best, a late seed in the Eastern Conference. And that’s if they’re lucky. This is another game in which the Rockets should win. They’re clearly the better team, they’ve got the reigning MVP playing the best basketball of his life, and they seem to have finally regained some of last season’s swagger. However, looks can be deceiving. And the Rockets haven’t looked so great in their white uniforms, which they’ll be sporting tonight against the Heat. Houston is 2-5 this season when they wear white, but 0-5 since Carmelo Anthony left the team. I’m hoping that it’s just a coincidental stat, as the Rockets don’t wear white often, and haven’t at all during their current win streak. If the Rockets really want to prove to the league that they’re not only back, but even better than last year, they’ll need to continue winning games like tonight’s in Miami. Houston is coming off a record-breaking win last night and is playing its 3rd game in 4 nights. The Rockets will have to truly gut this one out, fight those tired legs, and “Run as One” if they want to take their winning streak to 6 games in South Beach.
American Airlines Arena: Miami, Florida
Jersey Colors:
Houston Rockets (16-14): White
Miami Heat (13-16): Black (Vice City Edition)
TV: 7 PM CT – TNT, ATT Sportsnet SW