Game ID: 22500864
Houston Rockets @ Miami Heat
Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 3:30 PM ET
Kaseya Center, Miami, FL
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
MIA 32 19 34 30 115HOU 28 24 31 22 105
HOU @ MIA ScoutingHOU @ MIA Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
MIA availability going into 2/20 · 8 days' restOUT Herro missed 15 since 1/17, returns tonight: 23 min (74% of 31)
OUT Powell missed 2 since 2/09, returns tonight: 25 min (84% of 30)
OUT Larsson missed 3 since 2/08, returns tonight: 32 min (121% of 26)
NEW Jakučionis 18 to 25 min over the last 4
NEW Fontecchio 17 to 24 min over the last 5
MIA availability going into 2/21 · back-to-backBACK Herro back 2/20 after 15, 23 min since (74% of 31)
BACK Powell back 2/06 after 3, 28 min since (96% of 30)
BACK Larsson back 2/20 after 3, 32 min since (121% of 26)
NEW Jakučionis 18 to 25 min over the last 4
MIA availability going into 2/24 · 2 days' restBACK Herro back 2/20 after 15, 23 min since (74% of 31)
BACK Powell back 2/20 after 2, 26 min since (87% of 30)
BACK Larsson back 2/20 after 3, 33 min since (127% of 26)
NEW Jakučionis 18 to 25 min over the last 5
MIA availability going into 2/26 · 1 day's restOUT Jović missed 2 since 2/21, out tonight
BACK Herro back 2/20 after 15, 24 min since (77% of 31)
BACK Powell back 2/20 after 2, 27 min since (92% of 30)
BACK Larsson back 2/20 after 3, 34 min since (130% of 26)
MIA availability going into 2/28 · 1 day's restOUT Jović missed 3 since 2/21, out tonight
BACK Herro back 2/20 after 15, 26 min since (83% of 31)
BACK Powell back 2/20 after 2, 23 min since (77% of 30)
BACK Larsson back 2/20 after 3, 34 min since (129% of 26)
MIA availability going into 3/03 · 2 days' restOUT Jović missed 4 since 2/21, out tonight
BACK Herro back 2/20 after 15, 27 min since (88% of 31)
BACK Powell back 2/20 after 2, 23 min since (77% of 30)
BACK Larsson back 2/20 after 3, 34 min since (129% of 26)
MIA availability going into 3/05 · 1 day's restOUT Powell missed 2 since 2/28, out tonight
OUT Jović missed 5 since 2/21, out tonight
NEW Larsson 26 to 31 min over the last 5
MIA availability going into 3/06 · back-to-backOUT Powell missed 3 since 2/28, out tonight
OUT Jović missed 6 since 2/21, out tonight
MIA availability going into 3/08 · 1 day's restOUT Powell missed 4 since 2/28, out tonight
OUT Jović missed 7 since 2/21, out tonight
OUT Fontecchio missed 2 since 3/05, out tonight
HOU availability going into 2/21 · 1 day's restOUT Holiday missed 4 since 2/07, out tonight
NEW Eason 26 to 33 min over the last 4
HOU availability going into 2/23 · 1 day's restOUT Okogie missed 2 since 2/19, returns tonight: 13 min (74% of 17)
OUT Holiday missed 5 since 2/07, returns tonight: 6 min (44% of 14)
NEW Eason 26 to 33 min over the last 5
HOU availability going into 2/25 · 1 day's restBACK Okogie back 2/23 after 2, 13 min since (74% of 17)
BACK Holiday back 2/23 after 5, 6 min since (44% of 14)
NEW Eason 26 to 33 min over the last 5
HOU availability going into 2/26 · back-to-backBACK Okogie back 2/23 after 2, 18 min since (106% of 17)
BACK Holiday back 2/23 after 5, 13 min since (98% of 14)
NEW Finney-Smith 16 to 21 min over the last 3
HOU availability going into 2/28 · 1 day's restBACK Okogie back 2/23 after 2, 19 min since (110% of 17)
BACK Holiday back 2/23 after 5, 13 min since (98% of 14)
HOU availability going into 3/02 · 1 day's restBACK Okogie back 2/23 after 2, 16 min since (94% of 17)
BACK Holiday back 2/23 after 5, 12 min since (86% of 14)
HOU availability going into 3/05 · 2 days' restOUT Smith Jr. missed 2 since 2/28, returns tonight: 42 min (119% of 36)
BACK Okogie back 2/23 after 2, 15 min since (85% of 17)
BACK Holiday back 2/23 after 5, 14 min since (102% of 14)
NEW Sheppard 27 to 33 min over the last 5
HOU availability going into 3/06 · back-to-backBACK Smith Jr. back 3/05 after 2, 42 min since (119% of 36)
NEW Sheppard 27 to 36 min over the last 5
HOU availability going into 3/08 · 1 day's restBACK Smith Jr. back 3/05 after 2, 42 min since (119% of 36)
NEW Sheppard 27 to 36 min over the last 5
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Miami comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 124 a night and allowing 116, shooting 47 percent and 35 from three, 27 free throws a game; Adebayo at 21 and Herro at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 9 a night. Without Jović (3 straight). One day's rest. Houston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 104, shooting 52 percent and 39 from three, 17 free throws a game; Durant at 29 and Smith Jr. at 18 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 5 a night. One day's rest.
So: Miami wins, and the game turns on the defense, Houston allowing 104 a night to Miami's 116 and the line, where Miami takes 27 free throws a game to Houston's 17. Call it Miami 116, Houston 114, Houston keeping it close.
2/20 @ ATL 128-97 — MIA notes
MIA won 128-97. MIA shot 52% (52 of 100) to ATL's 38%, 13 of 35 from three. MIA turned it over 8 times to ATL's 13. The glass went 58-46 for them. Herro led with 24 (9 of 14, 2 of 4 from three); Adebayo added 17, Powell 15. The hinge was Q4, 41-22: a lead of 12 became 31, and the lead reached 34. Adebayo was the night's best plus/minus at +29.
2/21 vs MEM 136-120 — MIA notes
MIA won 136-120. MIA shot 52% (49 of 95) to MEM's 47%, 13 of 36 from three, and went to the line 33 times to MEM's 22 — 25 points from the stripe to their 15. MIA turned it over 18 times to MEM's 13, and MEM turned those into 14 steals. The glass went 57-35 for them. Wiggins led with 28 (9 of 10, 4 of 4 from three, 6 of 6 at the line); Powell added 25, Herro 14. The hinge was Q3, 39-26: a lead of 5 became 18, and the lead reached 24. Adebayo was the night's best plus/minus at +27.
2/24 @ MIL 117-128 — MIA notes
MIA lost 117-128. MIA shot 43% (40 of 94) to MIL's 49%, 16 of 48 from three, and went to the line 27 times to MIL's 19 — 21 points from the stripe to their 16. MIA turned it over 16 times to MIL's 10, and MIL turned those into 10 steals. Powell led with 26 (6 of 14, 3 of 8 from three, 11 of 14 at the line); Adebayo added 18, Wiggins 16. Q3 was theirs, 35-26, turning a 5-point deficit into a 4-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 102-82 against them. Herro's -20 in 26 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/26 @ PHI 117-124 — MIA notes
MIA lost 117-124. MIA shot 46% (40 of 87) to PHI's 48%, 17 of 40 from three, and went to the line 26 times to PHI's 18 — 20 points from the stripe to their 17. Adebayo led with 29 (10 of 20, 4 of 8 from three, 5 of 8 at the line); Herro added 25, Jaquez Jr. 19. Q3 was theirs, 34-26, the deficit cut from 16 to 8, but the other 3 periods went 98-83 against them. Larsson's -14 in 33 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/28 vs HOU 115-105 — MIA notes
MIA won 115-105. MIA shot 50% (45 of 90) to HOU's 43%, 11 of 31 from three. Adebayo led with 24 (9 of 17, 3 of 5 from three, 3 of 6 at the line); Larsson added 20, Herro 18. The hinge was Q4, 30-22: a lead of 2 became 10. MIA trailed 51-52 at the half and won the second half 64-53. Adebayo was the night's best plus/minus at +16.
3/03 vs BKN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Miami comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 115, shooting 48 percent and 37 from three, 24 free throws a game; Adebayo at 20 and Herro at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 7 a night. Without Jović (4 straight). 2 days' rest. Brooklyn comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 124, shooting 48 percent and 38 from three, 20 free throws a game; Porter Jr. at 23 and Claxton at 14 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 9 a night. Without Powell (2 straight), Johnson (24 straight), Etienne (38 straight). One day's rest.
So: Miami wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Miami has been plus-7 a night and Brooklyn minus-9 and the defense, Miami allowing 115 a night to Brooklyn's 124. Call it Miami 122, Brooklyn 110, Miami by 12.
3/05 vs BKN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Miami comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 122 a night and allowing 115, shooting 48 percent and 37 from three, 26 free throws a game; Adebayo at 21 and Herro at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 6 a night. Without Powell (2 straight), Jović (5 straight). One day's rest. Brooklyn comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 107 a night and allowing 125, shooting 47 percent and 35 from three, 22 free throws a game; Porter Jr. at 21 and Wolf at 14 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 7 a night. Without Powell (3 straight), Johnson (25 straight), Etienne (39 straight). One day's rest.
So: Miami wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Miami has been plus-6 a night and Brooklyn minus-7 and the defense, Miami allowing 115 a night to Brooklyn's 125. Call it Miami 122, Brooklyn 110, Miami by 12.
3/06 @ CHA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Charlotte comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 122 a night and allowing 96, shooting 49 percent and 42 from three, 19 free throws a game; Miller at 23 and Knueppel at 18 a game. That is 5 straight wins. It has won the glass by 9 a night. One day's rest. Miami comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 113, shooting 48 percent and 36 from three, 24 free throws a game; Adebayo at 23 and Herro at 21 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Powell (3 straight), Jović (6 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Charlotte wins, and the game turns on the defense, Charlotte allowing 96 a night to Miami's 113 and the glass, where Charlotte has been plus-9 a night and Miami plus-1. Call it Charlotte 119, Miami 110.
3/08 vs DET — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Miami comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 122 a night and allowing 111, shooting 49 percent and 40 from three, 24 free throws a game; Herro at 25 and Adebayo at 24 a game. That is 4 straight wins. Without Powell (4 straight), Jović (7 straight), Fontecchio (2 straight). One day's rest. Detroit comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 110, shooting 45 percent and 30 from three, 29 free throws a game; Cunningham at 22 and Duren at 19 a game. That is 3 straight losses. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Miami wins, and the game turns on the arc, Miami at 40 percent from three to Detroit's 30 and the glass, where Detroit has been plus-5 a night and Miami minus-1. Call it Miami 118, Detroit 111.
2/21 @ NYK 106-108 — HOU notes
HOU lost 106-108. HOU shot 48% (38 of 80) to NYK's 49%, 12 of 31 from three, and went to the line 23 times to NYK's 16 — 18 points from the stripe to their 14. HOU turned it over 19 times to NYK's 11, and NYK turned those into 11 steals. The glass went 44-29 for them. Durant led with 30 (10 of 26, 4 of 10 from three, 6 of 7 at the line); Smith Jr. added 21, Sengun 16. Q3 was theirs, 37-22, but the other 3 periods went 86-69 against them. They led by as many as 18.
2/23 vs UTA 125-105 — HOU notes
HOU won 125-105. HOU shot 57% (49 of 86) to UTA's 37%, 18 of 40 from three, and got to the line 11 times to UTA's 30. HOU turned it over 26 times to UTA's 11, and UTA turned those into 17 steals. The glass went 53-36 for them. Smith Jr. led with 31 (12 of 17, 6 of 11 from three); Thompson added 20, Durant 18. The hinge was Q1, 38-22: from level to 16 ahead, and the lead reached 33. Durant was the night's best plus/minus at +28.
2/25 vs SAC 128-97 — HOU notes
HOU won 128-97. HOU shot 55% (47 of 86) to SAC's 40%, 17 of 39 from three. Sheppard led with 28 (9 of 21, 7 of 16 from three); Sengun added 26, Durant 21. The hinge was Q2, 44-28: a lead of 11 became 27, and the lead reached 36. Okogie was the night's best plus/minus at +30.
2/26 @ ORL 113-108 — HOU notes
HOU won 113-108. HOU shot 52% (43 of 82) to ORL's 45%, 11 of 29 from three. Durant led with 40 (14 of 28, 2 of 10 from three, 10 of 10 at the line); Sheppard added 20, Sengun 16. The hinge was Q3, 38-27: HOU came in trailing by 10 and left it ahead by 1. HOU trailed 43-53 at the half and won the second half 70-55. Eason was the night's best plus/minus at +15.
2/28 @ MIA 105-115 — HOU notes
HOU lost 105-115. HOU shot 43% (41 of 95) to MIA's 50%, 9 of 36 from three. Durant led with 32 (12 of 20, 2 of 8 from three, 6 of 6 at the line); Thompson added 20, Sheppard 14. Q2 was theirs, 24-19, turning a 4-point deficit into a 1-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 96-81 against them. They led by as many as 10. Thompson's -18 in 39 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/02 @ WAS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Washington comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 125, shooting 49 percent and 35 from three, 18 free throws a game; Riley at 15 and Hardy at 14 a game. That is 4 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 8 a night. Without Sarr (7 straight), Whitmore (38 straight). One day's rest. Houston comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 107, shooting 51 percent and 38 from three, 19 free throws a game; Durant at 28 and Smith Jr. at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 7 a night. One day's rest.
So: Houston wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Houston has been plus-7 a night and Washington minus-8 and the defense, Houston allowing 107 a night to Washington's 125. Call it Houston 119, Washington 111.
3/05 vs GSW — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Houston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 109, shooting 51 percent and 38 from three, 20 free throws a game; Durant at 28 and Sengun at 21 a game. It has won the glass by 10 a night. Without Smith Jr. (2 straight). 2 days' rest. Golden State comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 117, shooting 46 percent and 34 from three, 16 free throws a game; Podziemski at 17 and Moody at 17 a game. Without Ste. Curry (11 straight), Porziņģis (5 straight), Cryer (14 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Houston wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Houston has been plus-10 a night and Golden State plus-0 and the defense, Houston allowing 109 a night to Golden State's 117. Call it Houston 117, Golden State 111.
3/06 vs POR — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Houston comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 111, shooting 49 percent and 37 from three, 21 free throws a game; Durant at 29 and Sheppard at 22 a game. It has won the glass by 7 a night. Second night of a back-to-back. Portland comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 119, shooting 45 percent and 30 from three, 25 free throws a game; Holiday at 23 and Grant at 21 a game. Without Avdija (5 straight), Sharpe (11 straight), Love (7 straight). One day's rest.
So: Houston wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Houston has been plus-7 a night and Portland minus-2 and the arc, Houston at 37 percent from three to Portland's 30. Call it Houston 118, Portland 111.
3/08 @ SAS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
San Antonio comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 107, shooting 49 percent and 37 from three, 22 free throws a game; Wembanyama at 22 and Fox at 16 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Barnes (3 straight). One day's rest. Houston comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 111, shooting 49 percent and 34 from three, 22 free throws a game; Durant at 29 and Sengun at 21 a game. It has won the glass by 7 a night. One day's rest.
So: San Antonio wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Houston has been plus-7 a night and San Antonio plus-1 and the turnovers, Houston giving it away 16 times a game to San Antonio's 13. Call it San Antonio 115, Houston 110.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
HOUAH A. Holiday
AS A. Sengun
AT A. Thompson
CC C. Capela
DF D. Finney-Smith
JG J. Green
JO J. Okogie
KD K. Durant
RS R. Sheppard
TE T. Eason
MIAAW A. Wiggins
BA B. Adebayo
DM D. Mitchell
DS D. Smith
JJ J. Jaquez Jr.
KJ K. Jakučionis
KW K. Ware
PL P. Larsson
SF S. Fontecchio
TH T. Herro
HOU/MIA the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Adebayo scores 24, Larsson adds 20 and Heat hold off Rockets, 115-105
MIAMI -- — Bam Adebayo had 24 points and 11 rebounds, Pelle Larsson scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter and the Miami Heat beat the Houston Rockets 115-105 on Saturday.
Tyler Herro scored 18, Jaime Jaquez Jr . added 14 and Kel’el Ware had a 13-point, 15-rebound game for the Heat. Andrew Wiggins — who needed eight stitches to close a laceration inside his mouth — had 12 points for Miami.
Kevin Durant finished with 32 points, eight assists and six rebounds for the Rockets, who got 20 points from Amen Thompson and 14 from Reed Sheppard .
Both teams had double-digit leads early; the Rockets ran out to a quick 14-4 edge, the Heat answered with a 37-14 run to take a 41-28 lead. And then things settled down, with the sides staying relatively close the rest of the way.
Neither team had a double-digit lead in the second half until Larsson hit a pair of free throws with 1:52 left for a 113-103 lead.
The Rockets played without Jabari Smith Jr., sidelined with a sprained right ankle. He isn't expected to play in Washington on Monday either.
“We'll target when we return home,” said Rockets coach Ime Udoka, who put Sheppard into the starting lineup in Smith's place.
Meanwhile, Miami was without Norman Powell — who'll miss at least one week with a right groin strain, sustained Thursday in a Heat loss at Philadelphia. Herro, who has been working his way back from injury as well, got the start in Powell's spot.
“I feel for Norm because he wants to be out there for all the games, especially these moments right now," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We’ll treat him and we’ll see where he is after the week.”