First it was Toronto and now it’s Houston. As the season progresses and the list of unbeaten teams shrinks further, Miami might face their toughest challenge yet when they host the Rockets (4-0) at the AmericanAirlines Arena.
I’ll say this first about the exciting matchup; the preseason means nothing. The victory that the Heat (3-0) enjoyed over the Rockets on October 21 is not a valid indicator of what happens when these teams take the floor tonight at 7:30 p.m. A Miami team that had yet to find it’s groove offensively was able to take advantage of Houston’s 2nd- and 3rd-team in order to get a “feel-good” win. Both teams have improved and are a stark contrast of each other.
The Rockets are led by James Harden, the free-throw machine that gets to the line at historic rates. Call it flopping or call it effective but you can count on it being a factor, as Harden averages 27.8 points per game. Houston faced the Philadelphia 76ers team on Monday and it was a close affair until the 4th quarter but Harden’s 18 free throw attempts (of which he only missed one) was a difference maker. He’s not the most efficient shooter and his defense is downright porous at times but he’s a load to handle.
Houston also features Dwight Howard, whose production has waned but is still difficult to contain. While he doesn’t score as much as his Orlando days, he still gets a lot of touches in the post, freeing up Harden and other perimeter players. And his rebounding is as solid as ever (10.8 RPG). Miami’s rim protection has been a weakness this season (as it has for years) so look to Howard to capitalize. Trevor Ariza (a free agent target for the Heat this summer) has been spectacular, so far. After a great year in Washington, many believed that his production would taper off after securing a rich contract; the opposite has happened, He’s been worth every penny and the matchup between him and Luol Deng should be a good one.
Rounding out the cast is Patrick Beverley (who sat out last night’s game but is listed as day-to-day with a hamstring injury) and Terrence Jones, a solid rebounder who will be tough for Miami’s Shawne Williams to keep out of the paint. Off the bench are old Heat-nemesis Jason Terry (somewhat revitalized this season) and Donatas Motiejunas, a 7-footer with shooting range.
It’s basically a test of two different styles, with Howard and Jones clogging up the paint and Harden driving to the rim for too-often-called fouls while Miami has been most effective spacing the floor. Chris Bosh will be the key and having him draw Houston’s bigs out of the paint is a must, allowing Deng to cut to the rim and for Dwyane Wade to capitalize on Harden’s weak defense. If Beverley is out, Norris Cole and Shabazz Napier hold the advantage at point guard over Isiah Canaan.
As cliche as it might be, it’ll be crucial for a team to impose their will and style on the other. For Miami to pull out a victory, there has to be a concerted effort to challenge the Rockets frontcourt and get them in foul trouble, while hitting from outside. If Houston prevails and takes advantage of Howard getting to the line, you could see a lot of Chris Andersen and Justin Hamilton trying (and failing) to contain him. This goes double for Harden, who could force Wade off the bench and be challenged by Mario Chalmers for long stretches.
The Raptors were a nice test but tonight’s game is Miami’s toughest so far. Stay tuned for a recap, post-game grades and analysis.