Miami @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 3, 2019 ) Houston 100, Miami 129

The Houston Rockets were badly embarrassed the last time they played the Miami Heat and will look to deliver some payback when the teams meet again Wednesday in Houston. Miami rolled to a 129-100 home win on Nov. 3, leading by 32 points after one quarter and 59-18 just 16 minutes into the contest while steamrolling the Rockets.

Houston coach Mike D'Antoni said there's no need to remind his players what happened the last time because it's something that's not easy to forget. "I don't think we have to," D'Antoni told reporters on Tuesday. "I think they do know that. We addressed the mistakes we made, especially defensively, so we can be better at it." From the vantage point of the Heat, they expect to run into a highly motivated team intent on exacting revenge for the fierce beating. "They're a great basketball team that wants to win games, have homecourt advantage and do something in the playoffs," Heat big man Kelly Olynyk told reporters. "They're playing for a lot more than just to get revenge on us, but they're not going to take anyone lightly especially after we beat them. They're gonna be ready to rock and we have to be able to match that."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Miami), AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston)

ABOUT THE HEAT (12-4): Miami won six of its past seven games after producing a 117-100 home win over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday. Small forward Jimmy Butler scored 21 points against the Hornets but complained of illness after the game and his availability for Wednesday hasn't yet been determined. Olynyk collected a career-best 16 rebounds against Charlotte and also scored 15 points for his first double-double of season, and he knocked down 4-of-5 3-point attempts.

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (11-6): Houston, which has lost three straight games, got off to another bumpy start in Sunday's 137-123 home loss Dallas as it allowed 45 first-quarter points and trailed 78-60 at halftime as its defense was routinely carved up. Asked what the Rockets did wrong on defense, Harden's answer began with this word: "Everything," before saying "we allowed them to do whatever they wanted to do from the beginning of the game and when you give a team like that comfort ... they gain confidence." Harden, who leads the NBA with a 37.9 scoring average, scored 29 points in the first meeting with Miami, one of four times he failed to reach 30 this season.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Heat lost five of their past six visits to Houston.

2. Houston C Clint Capela (illness) is questionable after collecting 20 or more rebounds in six of the past seven games.

3. Miami F Justise Winslow (concussion) is probable after missing the previous nine games.

PREDICTION: Rockets 112, Heat 108