Bosh, Miami Heat Host Houston Rockets
By David Ramil
Looking at this past summer, many experts might pick the two teams playing tonight as having the worst off-seasons in the NBA. The Heat rebounded as well as can be expected from losing one of the best players on the planet but it was still a huge loss, in talent as well as identity. The Rockets swung for fences and missed badly, landing awkwardly in a heap as the free agent dust began to settle.
And at the center of both teams personnel moves was Chris Bosh, Miami’s veteran All-Star.
With LeBron James back to “The Land,” Bosh had options, the two best of which were to stay in Miami for more money but (maybe) less success or go to Houston and form a new “Big 3” with the Rockets. He chose the former and thus gave the Heat the focal point for its post-James rebuilding efforts. Houston, however, had done everything possible to land local standout Bosh, clearing salary cap space by trading away Omer Asik (to the Pelicans) as well as Jeremy Lin (to the Lakers). The gamble didn’t pay off and Houston wound up settling for another Miami free agent target, Trevor Ariza, to maintain respectability.
The Rockets (4-1 this preseason) still have James Harden and Dwight Howard, productive stars with glaring weaknesses, to build around. Ariza, a 3-and-D wing player,might not match his totals from last year but still brings championship experience. The starting unit also includes former Heat prospect Patrick Beverley and Terrence Jones. But the summer moves weakened their bench and Houston will need regular contributors in order to contend in the Western Conference. The Rockets are one of those teams that is really good but whose window of opportunity is closing fast. As other teams out West continue to change and excel, Houston’s promising title-hopes of the summer seem like a fading dream.
Miami (2-4) has won two games in a row and a big reason why is their surprising supporting cast. From the contributions of Shawne Williams to the superb play of rookie Shabazz Napier, the Heat is using the preseason for all it’s worth – to determine what lineups work best and who has a chance to be a solid roster addition. Players are on the bubble so even as the regular season starts in just eight days (!), Tyler Johnson, Khem Birch, Andre Dawkins and others look to cement a place on the team.
Here are some keys to tonight’s game:
- Drama over Bosh? – It’ll be interesting to see how Houston reacts to C.B. after he spurned the team this summer. I doubt players will begrudge him for taking more money and choosing to stay in Miami and, moreover, he’ll have his hands full with Howard and Jones in the frontcourt.
- Wade vs. Harden – An interesting battle, considering there’s some tension between the two dating back to last season. Wade has struggled and Harden is as inefficient as ever but this should be the kind of matchup that brings out the best in both players.
- Rookie watch – You can’t overstate how essential the last few games have been to help showcase what unproven rookies might bring to the table. From Birch’s impressive rebounding (13 boards vs. Spurs) to Johnson’s 17 points, someone will step up as time runs out to impress the coaching staff. Houston’s Tarik Black and Nick Johnson will be the doing the same on the other end.
Tonight’s game tips off at 8 P.M. from the AmericanAirlines Arena and will be broadcast nationally on TNT. Check back after the game for a recap here at All U Can Heat.