Heat ride record first quarter to rout
The Miami Heat rode a recordsetting first quarter to a 129-100 win over the visiting Houston Rockets on Sunday night.
The Heat led 46-14 after one quarter, a team record and the third-biggest first-quarter lead in the NBA’s shot-clock era, dating to 1954-55.
Duncan Robinson scored 23 points, Meyers Leonard added 21, and the Heat improved to 5-1, matching the best six-game start in franchise history.
“Surprising? Not surprising to me,” Leonard said. “Don’t get it twisted. The Houston Rockets are incredibly talented. But we came in with a game plan and a mind-set that we were going to take away what they’re good at, be disciplined and execute. That’s what we did.”
Jimmy Butler scored 18 points and had nine assists for the Heat, and James Johnson scored 17 in his season debut. The Heat had 38 assists to Houston’s 19, and the Rockets were just 14 for 48 from threepoint range.
James Harden scored 29 for Houston, while Russell Westbrook was held to 10.
“We’re not in trouble,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said after his team fell to 3-3. “But if we think we’re not in trouble, then we’re in trouble — if that makes sense. You’ve got to have that appropriate fear and understand that it’s a new year and you don’t start with any games and we’ve got to work our way back.”
The lead was 59-18 four minutes into the second quarter. Houston got within 25 by halftime, but no closer.
“They came out and blitzed us,” Harden said. “They brought energy and effort that we couldn’t match. And it showed.”
Sacramento 113, at New York 92:
De’Aaron Fox scored 24 points, Buddy Hield had 22 and the Kings won their second straight following a 0-5 start. Marcus Morris scored 28 points for the Knicks, who dropped their third straight and fell to 1-6.
Dallas 131, at Cleveland 111:
Luka Doncic posted his second straight triple-double and third of the season, with 29 points, 14 rebounds and a career-high-tying 15 assists, and the Mavericks improved to 3-0 on the road for the first time since their title-winning 2010-11 season.
at Indiana 108, Chicago 95:
T.J. Warren scored a season-high 26 points to lift the short-handed Pacers to their third win in a row.
Lakers 103, at San Antonio 96 at Clippers 105, Utah 94