At 8:30 a.m. Beijing time on January 9, the NBA regular season continued, with the Heat hosting the Rockets.
The Heat are 20-15 and 8th in the East, averaging 112.5 points per game, ranking 23rd in the league, and conceding 111.6 points per game, the ninth-fewest in the league with a 9-6 home record this season.
The Heat have a poor record recently, losing three of their last four games, and the only opponent to win is the Lakers, who have lost four in a row. Butler, the team's boss, has not played since entering 2024 and continues to miss this game with a foot injury that has not healed, Highsmith can return, and Martin is likely to be absent.
Herro and Bam Adebayo are the Heat's current leading scorers, with Herro averaging 22.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game, while Bam Adebayo is averaging 22 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. Dunroe, who averaged 14.2 points per game, also had an excellent performance, but in the last game against the Suns, Dunroe only scored 4 points on 1-of-7 shooting.
No. 18 rookie Harkes is the only full-time player for the Heat, averaging 13.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, and his individual performance is remarkable.
Veteran Lovers are averaging 10.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, Richardson is averaging 10 points per game, and Lowry is averaging 9.3 points and 4.1 assists per game, and they can also play well in the rotation stage.
The 18-16 Rockets are in ninth place in the West, averaging 112.5 points per game, the same as the Heat, tied for 23rd in the league, and conceding 109.9 points per game, the second-fewest teams in the league and a 3-10 record on the road.
The Rockets have won three of their last four games after a three-game losing streak, with their only loss being to the Timberwolves, who are No. 1 in the West, and played well against the Bucks in the last game.
Injuries have also plagued the Rockets, with Dillon and Eason confirmed to miss the game.
Shin Kyung has been the Rockets' standout player recently, averaging 21.4 points, 9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game.
Jalen Green is averaging 17.4 points per game, VanVleet is averaging 17.1 points and 8.5 assists per game, Jabari Smith Jr. is averaging 13.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, and Whitmore has performed well since entering the rotation recently, scoring in double figures in five of the last six games, averaging 11.5 points per game, and scoring nine points in games that failed to make a double-double.
The Rockets have gradually regained their competitiveness this season with their ferocious defense, because of the relatively slow pace and all the statistics are not impressive, but the defensive efficiency is the fourth in the league, and the average rebounds per game are the sixth in the league. On the offensive end, the Rockets didn't do as well, ranking only 20th in the league in offensive efficiency, 23rd in shooting percentage, and 13th in three-point shooting percentage.
The Heat are also a team that relies on defense to gain a foothold in the NBA, but the difference is that the offense is better, mainly reflected in the shooting percentage. The Heat rank 13th in the league in defensive efficiency, 16th in offensive efficiency, 19th in the league in shooting percentage, and third in the league in three-point shooting percentage and free throw percentage.
This game is a battle between two slow-paced defensive teams, positional warfare using big players to create opportunities is the current mainstream play between the two teams, this game between the two sides is like looking in the mirror, it should be pointed out that the performance of the Rockets home and away this season is huge, after the end of the sweet schedule of 7 consecutive home games and the Heat will open the devil's schedule of 6 consecutive away, whether this game can continue the recent excellent performance on the first away road is still questionable. The battle between two defensive teams of equal strength is destined to be a close match, and it may be difficult to tell the winner until the last minute.