On December 30, 2024, Beijing time, the NBA regular season saw the 21-10 Rockets host the 15-14 Heat. Over the past four seasons, the Heat had swept the Rockets in the regular season, earning a reputation as the Rockets' nemesis. Today, the Rockets were eager to end their losing streak against the Heat. Could they do it? The Rockets were without Ison, but Dillon returned to the starting lineup: VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon, Smith, and Shen Jing. On the Heat side, Butler and Deng Luo were absent, with the starting lineup consisting of Hero, Rozier, Hesmith, Love, and Adebayo.
In the first quarter, Smith hit a 3+1, while Love responded with two free throws. VanVleet and Shen Jing scored five points in a row, giving the Rockets a 9-2 lead. Love scored on an offensive rebound, and Jalen Green responded with three free throws, extending the Rockets' lead to eight points. Adebayo, Hero, Rozier, and Hesmith went on a 12-0 run, allowing the Heat to take a four-point lead. Shen Jing tied the score, but Rozier and Hero scored, to which Dillon responded with five points in a row, giving the Rockets a one-point lead. Hero scored again, but Adams and Whitmore responded, putting the Rockets up by two points. Jovic and Rozier then took the lead by four points, ending the first quarter with the Heat leading 31-27.
In the second quarter, Thompson and Whitmore dunked, while Jovic and Rozier responded, keeping the Heat's lead at four points. Shen Jing scored four points in a row, to which Jovic responded with a free throw, maintaining a two-point difference. Adams and VanVleet scored, but Rozier, Adebayo, and Hero responded, giving the Heat a six-point lead. Dillon and Shen Jing narrowed the gap to one point, but Adebayo and Hesmith extended it back to six points. VanVleet hit a three-pointer, ending the half with the Heat leading 53-50.
In the third quarter, Jalen Green, Dillon, and Smith started off by overtaking the Heat by six points. Hero made a layup, but Jalen Green and Dillon responded, increasing the lead to ten points. Hero hit a three-pointer, but Jalen Green scored five points in a row, extending the lead to twelve points. Jovic and Hero scored, but Jalen Green and Holiday responded, keeping the lead at ten points. Burks, Well, and Jovic narrowed the gap to two points. Jalen Green made one of two free throws, and Shen Jing made a layup, to which Hero and Hesmith responded, leaving a one-point difference at the end of the third quarter, with the Rockets leading 82-81.
In the fourth quarter, Well made a layup, giving the Heat a one-point lead. Shen Jing and VanVleet responded by taking a four-point lead. Harkless made a layup, but VanVleet scored five points in a row, giving the Rockets a seven-point lead. Hero, Rozier, and Hesmith then took the lead by one point. Dillon made a layup to retake the lead by one point, but Hero and Jovic responded by taking a five-point lead. VanVleet was ejected for arguing with the referees, with 47 seconds left in the game. Thompson and Hero got into a conflict, with many players getting involved. The Rockets' Thompson, Jalen Green, and Udoka were ejected, while the Heat's Hero and Rozier were also ejected. Jovic and Burks made free throws, giving an eight-point lead. Whitmore hit a three-pointer, and Adebayo made two free throws. Dillon hit a three-pointer, and the game ended with the Heat defeating the Rockets 104-100, completing a comeback from being down seven points in the fourth quarter. The Heat have remained undefeated against the Rockets in recent seasons, creating a miracle.
Hero scored 27 points with 10 rebounds and 9 assists on 17 shots, making 10. Adebayo scored 12 points with 10 rebounds and 3 steals on 12 shots, making 4. Jovic scored 18 points with 7 rebounds and 6 assists on 9 shots, making 5, with a plus-minus value of +18, becoming a key player. This was the first time in his career that he achieved 15+5+5, setting a personal record. Hesmith scored 15 points with 8 rebounds and 3 steals, while Rozier scored 14 points with 5 rebounds.
Shen Jing scored 18 points with 18 rebounds and 6 assists on 14 shots, making 8. Dillon scored 22 points with 4 rebounds on 20 shots, making 8. Jalin Green scored 19 points with 3 rebounds and 2 assists on 20 shots, making 6. VanVleet scored 16 points with 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals on 17 shots, making 6. Smith scored 7 points with 3 rebounds.
The Rockets lost to the undermanned Heat, suffering their second consecutive defeat. The Rockets have recently shown a downward trend, while the Lakers and Clippers have shown an upward trend. The Lakers have also completed a trade to bring in Finney Smith, significantly enhancing their strength. The Rockets' top-three ranking in the West is now unstable, and the landscape of the Western Conference is about to change again.