Houston @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 18, 2019 ) Houston 144, Miami 133

The Houston Rockets scored 116 points in a loss at Brooklyn on Friday, 43 points fewer than they managed in a victory at Washington on Wednesday. The Rockets will try to find the top gear on offense again and improve to 2-1 on the four-game road trip when they visit the Miami Heat on Sunday.

Houston put together the best offensive display of the young season at Washington but could not find the same lift on its shots in Friday's 123-116 setback. "We had some wide-open threes at the end, try to get it close and try to eek one out, but we missed them," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni told reporters. "We just weren't sharp. We looked a little fatigued. We'll get there." The Heat won four of their first five games behind a pair of promising rookies and free agent swingman Jimmy Butler, who sat out the first three games but returned in time to support a defensive effort that held Atlanta under 100 points while sweeping a home-and-home series. "It's better than getting off to a poor start," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters. "It is a small sample size, but we know what's coming ahead. We have a pretty good team coming into Miami on Sunday, and then we go out West right after that. So, it's important we took care of business early on."

TV: 6 p.m. ET, AT&T Sportsnet Southwest (Houston), FS Sun (Miami)

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (3-2): Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Eric Gordon combined to go 3-of-27 from 3-point range on Friday but D'Antoni is not terribly concerned about a shooting slump. "I think we will (shoot better) as soon as we get our legs," D'Antoni told reporters. "Shooting and defense are legs and heart and we're either laboring or we're just not into people. We're just not there yet." Harden, who scored 59 points on Wednesday, finished with 36 on 10-of-31 shooting (2-of-16 from 3-point range) on Friday and is averaging an NBA-best 36.6 points.

ABOUT THE HEAT (4-1): Rookie shooting guard Kendrick Nunn scored 28 points to lead the way and fellow rookie Tyler Herro added 17 points in Thursday's 106-97 victory at Atlanta while Butler handed out 11 assists, and the fresh faces on the roster are giving everyone a lift. "Everything," veteran guard Goran Dragic told the Miami Herald when asked what the new players are adding to the team. "Energy, leadership, just chemistry. I think the chemistry is the most important thing. We're really deep as a team, and everybody wants to play as a team and share the ball. I feel like that's the main thing." Nunn (22.4 points), Dragic (16.4) and Herro (16.4) are among six players averaging at least 13 points for the Heat.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Miami SF Justise Winslow (back) sat out Thursday and is day-to-day.

2. Houston C Clint Capela is averaging 14.8 points on 64.7 percent shooting.

3. The home team took each of the two meetings last season, with the two games decided by a total of five points.

PREDICTION: Heat 109, Rockets 108