Rockets have a clunker in 117-109 loss to the Heat

Posted: February 15, 2017 -- 10:40 pm CST.

HOUSTON, TX (Toyota Center) -- The Houston Rockets never led Wednesday night in a 117-109 loss to the Miami Heat. Tonight is the first time this season the Rockets never held a lead in a ball game.

"It's definitely one that we hate to lose;" said head coach Mike D'Antoni after the game. "But, you know, I just told them, I said, "Look, it's All-Star Break, we're 40-18. And, we're a couple of games up from anybody in the fourth-place in the loss column.

"So, you know you've got to put it in perspective: we're going to have clunkers; and, that was a clunker; and, they played about the way I feel -- not very good; so, it is what it is."

The Heat made 11 consecutive field goals in the first quarter and finished the opening 12 minutes making 14 of 19 field goal attempts for a whopping 73.7%.

Despite the hot-shooting, the Rockets trailed by just six points (34-28) after the first period.

The second quarter was a sight to behold. The Heat went ice cold from the floor (9 for 27 field goal shooting) but completely dismantled the Rockets on the offensive boards with 9 boards for a 11 second-chance points in the second period.

The Rockets (40-18) trailed the Heat 58-45 at halftime. James Harden led the Rockets with 16 first-half points; but, Harden was the only Rockets player to score in double-digits in the opening 24 minutes.

Rockets' guard point Patrick Beverley did not play in the second half due to a tight groin; and, the Rockets' missed Beverley's fire and aggression in the second half as the Rockets' malaise lingered resulting in a 20 point lead (85-65) with 1:31 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Harden and Gordon each made a three-point shot as part of an 8-3 spurt to give the Rockets some momentum heading into the fourth quarter trailing by fifteen points (88-73).

The spurt stretched into the early part of the fourth quarter with a 7-2 burst to slice the deficit to 10 points (90-80) with 10:31 on the game clock.

However, the Rockets went cold for two minutes; and, the Heat (25-32) went on an 8-0 run to push the lead to 98-80 with 8:08 remaining. Ryan Anderson heated up with 4 three-point baskets in 2 minutes and 21 seconds to pull the Rockets within 11 points (105-94). Harden scored a driving lay-up to reduce the Heat's lead to 9 (105-96) before former Rockets' guard, Goran Dragic, scored 3 points during a 4-0 Heat burst to increase the lead to 13 points with 3:52 on the game clock.

The Rockets got as close as 8 points; but, the Heat broke the Rockets' trapping defense three times which led to two lay-ups from Dragic and a slam dunk by big man Hassan Whiteside to push the lead to 115-104 with 84 seconds remaining in the ball game.

Ryan Anderson scored a put back lay-up; and, Eric Gordon made a three-point shot for a six point Rockets' deficit with just 25.7 seconds left in the game; but, after, a timeout, the Heat got the ball to guard Dion Waiters who made two foul shots to ice the game.

The Rockets shot 7 of 17 from the three point line after shooting 6 for 23 through the first three quarters combined.

Tonight's loss snaps the Rockets' four-game winning streak.

The Heat sweeps the series versus the Rockets for the first time since the 2012-'13 season. The Heat held the Rockets below 110 points in both games this season. The Rockets are 11-15 when scoring less than 110 points this season; and, the Rockets are 14-14 when allowing 110 plus points this season.

James Harden tallied his 15th triple-double of the season with 38 points, 12 assists, and 12 rebounds.

D'Antoni summarized the team's performance: "Our crowd usually doesn't get here til about 8. We didn't start playing til about 8. And, that's not a good combo. The energy was dead in the arena. We were dead. This will be forgotten real quick."

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