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Veteran Rockets guard Fred VanVleet had by far his best game since returning from multiple right ankle injuries in Friday's 102-98 victory (box score) at Miami. Houston (46-25) won its ninth straight game and remains at No. 2 in the Western Conference standings, while the Heat (29-41) have lost 10 in a row are at No. 2 in the East.
Both streaks are the longest active ones of their kind in the NBA.
Houston trailed by eight at halftime but took over in the second half. VanVleet had 37 points and 3 steals while shooting 13-of-17 overall (76.5%), including a remarkable 9-of-11 on 3-pointers (81.8%).
Thompson had 18 points, 9 rebounds, 7 steals, and 5 assists while shooting 8-of-14 (57.1%), and the Rockets were +20 in his 35 minutes after returning from his own ankle injury.
On defense, Thompson helped limit Heat star Tyler Herro (who he got into an altercation with when the teams last met in December) to just 8 points on 3-of-11 shooting (27.3%). Herro also committed a game-high 6 turnovers.
Veteran forward Andrew Wiggins led the Heat with 30 points on 10-of-13 shooting (76.9%), 8-of-9 from the free-throw line (88.9%), and 2-of-4 on 3-pointers (50.0%). That total included a career-high quarter with 20 in the second, which gave Miami its temporary buffer.
Fourth-year standouts Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun each had off nights for the Rockets, combining to score just 14 points on 7-of-28 shooting (25.0%). Yet, due in large part to VanVleet and Thompson, it didn't matter to the final result.
Led by Thompson and Sengun (10 rebounds), Houston out-rebounded Miami for the game, 46-34. The Rockets remain the NBA's top rebounding team for the 2024-25 season.
Second-year guard/forward Amen Thompson returned for the Rockets, as expected, from his six-game absence with a sprained left ankle.
Houston returns home for an important matchup versus the team directly behind them in the West standings, the Denver Nuggets (44-26). Sunday’s tipoff from Toyota Center is at 6:00 p.m. Central.
More: Amen Thompson gets his revenge on Tyler Herro as Rockets win ninth straight in Miami
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Fred VanVleet (37) erupts in Miami as Rockets win ninth straight game
Continue reading...
Both streaks are the longest active ones of their kind in the NBA.
Houston trailed by eight at halftime but took over in the second half. VanVleet had 37 points and 3 steals while shooting 13-of-17 overall (76.5%), including a remarkable 9-of-11 on 3-pointers (81.8%).
Thompson had 18 points, 9 rebounds, 7 steals, and 5 assists while shooting 8-of-14 (57.1%), and the Rockets were +20 in his 35 minutes after returning from his own ankle injury.
On defense, Thompson helped limit Heat star Tyler Herro (who he got into an altercation with when the teams last met in December) to just 8 points on 3-of-11 shooting (27.3%). Herro also committed a game-high 6 turnovers.
Veteran forward Andrew Wiggins led the Heat with 30 points on 10-of-13 shooting (76.9%), 8-of-9 from the free-throw line (88.9%), and 2-of-4 on 3-pointers (50.0%). That total included a career-high quarter with 20 in the second, which gave Miami its temporary buffer.
Fourth-year standouts Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun each had off nights for the Rockets, combining to score just 14 points on 7-of-28 shooting (25.0%). Yet, due in large part to VanVleet and Thompson, it didn't matter to the final result.
Led by Thompson and Sengun (10 rebounds), Houston out-rebounded Miami for the game, 46-34. The Rockets remain the NBA's top rebounding team for the 2024-25 season.
Second-year guard/forward Amen Thompson returned for the Rockets, as expected, from his six-game absence with a sprained left ankle.
March 21 Rockets-Heat Complete Highlights
March 21 Postgame Reaction and Interviews
What’s Next
Houston returns home for an important matchup versus the team directly behind them in the West standings, the Denver Nuggets (44-26). Sunday’s tipoff from Toyota Center is at 6:00 p.m. Central.
More: Amen Thompson gets his revenge on Tyler Herro as Rockets win ninth straight in Miami
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Fred VanVleet (37) erupts in Miami as Rockets win ninth straight game
Continue reading...
