The Rockets host the Heat, and the preseason finale attracted the attention of many fans. The game is a comeback battle for many of the Rockets' recovered players, including Jaylen Green, Dillon and Van Jordan, among others. The Rockets' starting lineup consists of Van Jordan, Shin Kyung, Dillon, Green and Smith, while the Heat fielded Adebayo, Hiero, Lowry, Martin and Love.
At the beginning of the game, Van Jordan scored five consecutive points, and Shen Kyung and Jaylen Green also scored. The Heat's Adebayo excelled on the inside, scoring back-to-back, while Hiro found his touch on the outside to help the team clench the score. The Rockets led 16-12 as the game went into its first official timeout. After the timeout, the Heat went on the offensive, and a 10-2 mini-climax directly rallied by four points, but Smith's chasing 3-pointer helped the Rockets stop the bleeding. The two sides then began rotating substitutes, with the Heat's Amen Thompson very active on the offensive end, helping the team extend their lead to six points. Jaylen Green scored back-to-back points before the end of the first quarter, and the Rockets trailed by just one point at 30-31.
At the start of the second quarter, the two sides continued to rotate lineups, and the game remained glued. Jaylen Green burst out and scored six straight points to lead the team on a 10-0 run to extend the lead to seven points. However, the Heat seized on the Rockets' mistake and quickly chased the points. Rockets coach Uduka re-assigned the starting lineup as the Rockets led 44-41 and Heat coach Spall called a timeout. The Rockets excelled on both ends of the offensive and defensive ends, maintaining the advantage on the court at all times. Dillon's three-point hit gave the Rockets lead a nine-point lead, and the Heat called a timeout again. At one point, the Rockets led to double digits, and at halftime, the Heat trailed by 14 points, 52-66.
At the beginning of the second half, the Heat pulled all the main players and sent in a pure bench lineup. The Rockets made consecutive mistakes and struck iron, and were hit by a wave of 6-0 offense by the Heat. Uduka was so angry that he shouted a pause. The timeout didn't have any effect, and the Rockets scored just two points on free throws in the first half to run a 12-2 run by the Heat. It wasn't until Jaylen Green's bottom-corner three-point shot that the Rockets finally stopped the bleeding. The Rockets gradually regained their form, re-opening the gap to 10 points, and it was the Heat's turn to call a timeout. Since then, the Rockets have also fielded bench players. At the end of the third quarter, the Rockets led by 10 points at 81-71.
In the fourth quarter, Uduka once again replaced all the main players and played according to the regular season rotation. The Heat's third lineup narrowed the gap to five points, and the Rockets had to call a timeout. After the timeout, the Rockets replaced all of their main players, mainly to develop Amen Thompson's experience. Amen lived up to expectations and showed a strong impact in the final quarter, helping the team to successfully open the point gap and set the tone for the victory of the game.
In the end, the Rockets defeated the Heat 110-104 at home and ended the preseason with a 4-1 record. Let's take a look at how the players performed in the game!
After two breaks, Jaylen Green returned from injury in this game and there is no time limit. He performed well in the first quarter, scoring nine points in a single quarter, including a three-point shot.
Early in the second quarter, he continued to show his hot hands, facing Duncan Robinson's defense, making strong shots and causing fouls! The goal was reminiscent of the old star Maddie.
In the first half, Jaylen Green played 16 minutes and shot 56.3% from the field, including 50% from three-point range and 100% from the free throw line, contributing 17 points and 3 rebounds with a plus/minus of +13.
In the game, Jaylen Green played 28 minutes, shooting 40% from the field, 42.9% from three-point range and 100% from the free throw line, contributing a team-high 20 points, plus 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal.
In the first two games against the Spurs, Shin Kyung did not perform well. But back at home, Shin Kyung's form at both the offensive and defensive ends was at its peak.
In the second quarter, Shin Kyung first shook Love's dream footsteps, hooked his hand to score, then turned around to chase Lory's layup, and then passed to Amen Thompson under the basket to help him score an easy layup.
In the first half, he played 16 minutes, shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from the free throw line, scoring 10 points, eight rebounds, one assist and two blocks.
In the second half, he continued to perform well. In the whole game, Shin Jing played 27 minutes, shooting 37.5% from the field, 66.7% from the free-throw line, slashing 16 points, 12 rebounds (including 7 frontcourt rebounds), 3 assists and 4 blocks, completing a double-double performance.
Van Jordan also showed his best performance since pre-season in this game. At the start of the first quarter, he scored eight straight points and cut 10 points in a single quarter.
In the first half, Van Jordan played 16 minutes, shooting 71.4% from the field, 66.7% from three-point range, 100% from the free-throw line, contributing 15 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal with a plus/minus of +10.
Throughout the game, Van Jordan played 28 and a half points, shooting 70% from the field, 75% from three-point range, 100% from the free throw line, and efficiently cut 20 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals.
In the first half, Amen had eight points and five rebounds. In the second half, he maintained a strong impact and showed his athleticism. In the fourth quarter, he changed to break through the back of the sway.
In the game, Amen played 25 minutes, shooting 66.7% from the field and 77.8% from the free-throw line, contributing 19 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. It can be said that the Rockets picked up a treasure on this fourth-overall pick!
The Rockets beat the Heat 110-104 to finish the preseason perfectly. The outstanding performances of the players have filled the expectations for the Rockets in the new season. Whether it is Jaylen Green's explosion, Shenjing's recovery, Van Jordan's efficiency, or Amen Thompson's brilliant performance, the fans have been deeply impressed. The Rockets will face more challenges in the new season, but this preseason victory has instilled confidence and motivation in them. Let's look forward to the Rockets' wonderful performance in the new season!