Goran Dragic likes to go fast, and the Miami Heat get a win over the Houston Rockets

Goran Dragic’s near-triple double helped the Miami Heat get a much-needed win over James Harden and the Houston Rockets.

Welcome to the Hot Hand, where after every Miami Heat game win or loss we recognize the player who best put his stamp on the game.

Coming into Tuesday night’s showdown with the Houston Rockets, the Miami Heat were riding a four-game losing streak and were desperate for a win. They got one, against one of the best teams in the NBA.

On a night in which Miami boasted six players in double figures and James Harden dropped yet another monster triple double (40 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists,) it was the performance put on by Goran Dragic that stole the show. Though a bit sloppy at times (six turnovers in all), he seemed quite comfortable running the show, finishing with 21 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.

Just how stellar has Dragic been as of late? During the month of January alone, he’s averaging right around 20 points and five assists per night.

Read More: A case for the Heat to keep Goran Dragic

Dragic displayed a sense of urgency from the get-go, scoring 11 of his 21 in the first half. While mostly known for his scoring, it was his fourth quarter play making that would save Miami from another monster outing from Harden:

Recording six points and four assists in the fourth quarter, Dragic steadily controlled the pace and when it was time, had a major hand in putting the final nail in the coffin on a Rockets team that came into last night sporting a 32-11 record.

Dragic embraced the pace of the game (105.5), with the Heat keeping up with the Rockets and playing at the speed he had hoped for coming into the season.

With 42 games remaining in what has been a season of much frustration, and with plenty of rumors involving his name, it doesn’t appear Dragic is on his way out just yet. Miami (12-30) will remain home for a Thursday night showdown with the Dallas Mavericks at 7:30 PM ET.