Heat 99, Rockets 66

Heat 99, Rockets 66
by: Ira Winderman February 9th, 2010 | 9:50 PM

Observations from Tuesday’s 99-66 victory over the Rockets at AmericanAirlines Arena:

* It was the right performance and right result at the right time.

* The shame is the next home game is not for another two weeks. This schedule is flat out ridiculous.

* For the rare time this season, AmericanAirlines Arena was a fun place to be.

* The Heat had a season-high six players score in double digits.

* With 8:14 left in the second quarter, Dorell Wright had already reached his career high, with his seventh assist leading to a Udonis Haslem jumper. Wright’s previous career high had been six assists against Seattle on Jan. 7, 2006. He finished with those seven, as well as nine points and six rebounds.

* Wright energized the Heat early, entering after Quentin Richardson was called for his second foul less than four minutes in. Wright had two points, four assists, three rebounds and a steal in his eight minutes in the opening period.


* Wright is, without question, currently the Heat’s best small forward. If winning is any sort of priority, there is no way he can be sacrificed in the name of the luxury tax.

* Erik Spoelstra praised Daequan Cook’s practice on Monday, saying he was “as good as he’s ever been.” So after benching Cook in Saturday’s loss in Chicago, Spoelstra had him in at the start of the second period, with Cook nailing his first attempt, a 3-pointer. Cook had three baskets by halftime, matching his highest total since Nov. 17.

* Wright and Cook added a definitive energy, including Wright feeding Cook on a second-quarter two-on-one fastbreak.

* Haslem was in can’t-miss mode early, making seven of his first eight shots. The Heat was 13 of 15 from the field when counting the final two shots it made at the end of the opening period.

* The Heat led 56-31 at halftime, which tied the 11th-largest halftime lead in franchise history and stood as the team’s largest edge in any half this season.

* Dwyane Wade’s signature moment came midway through the third quarter, on a steal and tomahawk dunk in transition over defenseless Luis Scola.

* A Jermaine O’Neal hook with 7:39 to play in the first half pushed the Heat’s lead into the 20s, at 41-20. O’Neal finished one rebound shy of a double-double.

* The Heat had opened 1 of 8 from the field, with Wade producing the team’s second basket as part of a 3-point play with 8:03 left in the opening period.

* As strange as it sounds, the team that fields the smallest starting point guard and smallest starting center in the league was outmuscling the Heat at the outset. Chuck Hayes and Marcus Landry were doing everything but kicking sand in faces. The Heat eventually straightened that out.

* With the Rockets missing 11 consecutive shots during one first-quarter stretch, the Heat took a 24-16 lead into the second period.

* O’Neal was awarded two free throws when Rockets forward Joey Dorsey was called for a foul before the Heat inbounded during one second-quarter sequence.

* Now comes the challenge, going into Atlanta on Wednesday night and trying to do something productive on the second night of a back-to-back.