Heat Beat James Harden, Rockets After Chris Paul's Hamstring Injury
Josh Richardson had 22 points, seven assists and six rebounds as the Miami Heat defeated the Houston Rockets 101-99 on Thursday at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami.
The 14-16 Heat have won three straight games and seven of their last 10 after starting 7-13.
James Harden had 35 points and 12 assists for the 16-15 Rockets, whose five-game win streak ended.
Houston trailed by 11 points in the fourth quarter but was down only two in the final moments. A last-second three-pointer from Rockets guard Eric Gordon went in and out, however, and the Heat held on for the win.
The Rockets played the majority of the game without point guard Chris Paul, who suffered a strained left hamstring in the second quarter. Houston led 45-37 with 6:43 left in the second when Paul exited.
Rockets' Hot Streak Shouldn't Alter Team's Trade Plans
The Rockets have been mentioned in a few recent trade rumors.
Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium connected the Rockets with Los Angeles Lakers guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope on December 12, and Alykhan Bijani of The Athletic reported the Rockets were trying to find a wing to "provide consistent three-point shooting and perimeter defense."
Bijani noted the team's made offers centering around backup guard Brandon Knight and a first-round pick, but that deal has not gained traction.
Houston's recent five-game win streak catapulted it over the .500 mark, but it shouldn't stay complacent in the months leading up to the February 7 trade deadline.
First, the team shot 47.8 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from three-point range during the streak. Its opponents also went cold from beyond the arc, making just 31.0 percent of their threes.
Those numbers don't seem sustainable. Heading into Thursday, only the New Orleans Pelicans, Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors were shooting better than 47.8 percent for the season, and the San Antonio Spurs were the only team making more than 39.1 percent of its threes. The Rockets rank 21st and 20th in those categories, respectively.
Second, the Rockets were home for four of those five games. Playing at the Toyota Center hasn't been too much of a problem this year, as Houston's gone 9-5. The Rockets have just 7-10 mark away from home, however.
Third, Houston's defense ranks just 24th in efficiency after it finished sixth in that statistic last season, per ESPN.com. While the Rockets offense is still stellar, that has taken a small dip as well, with the team going from second to sixth.
Fourth, the Western Conference competition is fierce. The 14th-place Minnesota Timberwolves are only three games under .500, and 11 teams have winning records. Houston has to act.
Fifth, the Rockets bench is last in points per game and field-goal percentage, per NBA.com. That depth may become an issue as a tough schedule looms, including three games against the Warriors and two with the Raptors.
While Houston's recent play is encouraging, the Rockets should still make moves to help ensure a playoff return.
What's Next
Houston and Miami both have home contests Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. Houston will begin a three-game homestand against the San Antonio Spurs, and Miami will host the Milwaukee Bucks.
