ROCKETS BEAT THE HEAT
Houston Rockets keep rolling as VanVleet torches Heat
Mar 22, 2025, 3:53 pm
Rockets defeat the Heat, 102-98. Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images.
Fred VanVleet scored 37 points and the surging Houston Rockets won their ninth straight, beating the Miami Heat 102-98 Friday night.
VanVleet shot 13 for 17 from the field and made a season-high 9 of 11 3-pointers as the Rockets extended the league’s longest active winning streak. Houston also snapped a nine-game skid against Miami, which lost its 10th straight. It is the Heat’s longest skid since they lost 11th straight in 2007-08.
Amen Thompson returned after missing the last six games because of a sprained left ankle and finished with 18 points and seven steals while Dillon Brooks and Jabari Smith each added 11 points for the Rockets.
Houston rallied from an 11-point deficit early in the third quarter and got to 80-78 on Jalen Green’s jumper to close the period.
Miami’s Andrew Wiggins scored 30 points, his highest total since the Heat acquired him from Golden State for Jimmy Butler on Feb. 6. Kel’el Ware had 16 points and 14 rebounds, while Bam Adebayo also scored 16 points for the Heat.
Takeaways
Rockets: Houston remained second in the Western Conference.
Heat: Miami squandered its 20th double digit lead that led to a loss. Wiggins’ jump shot two minutes into the third period put the Heat ahead 65-54 before Houston rallied.
Key moment
VanVleet went on a personal 9-2 run to start the fourth that put the Rockets ahead for good. He hit two 3-pointers, a lay-up and made 1 of 2 free throws that gave Houston an 87-84 lead.
Key stat
The Rockets outrebounded the Heat 46-34 for their eighth consecutive game of winning the rebounding edge against their opponent.
Up next
Rockets host Denver on Sunday, and Heat host Charlotte.
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Jose Altuve tied a career high with four hits, highlighted by a three-run homer, to lead the Houston Astros to a 9-1 win over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday.
🚨TUVE BOMB🚨#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/PUQjyQCOhk
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 30, 2025
It was Altuve’s second four-hit game of the season and 41st of his career, which extends a franchise record. He was 4 for 4 and scored three times.
COOPER HUMMEL !!!!!#Astros vs Nationals on SCHN@astros I #BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/ruljKA57oS
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) July 30, 2025
Cooper Hummel hit a two-run homer and Yainer Díaz added a three-run shot to help the AL West leaders win a second straight after they snapped a season-long five-game skid with a 7-4 win Tuesday night.
Again?!?!?!?! https://t.co/TS03tmIdYU pic.twitter.com/CDc5jaOWg4
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 30, 2025
Houston starter rookie Ryan Gusto (7-4) yielded four hits and a run in six innings to bounce back after giving up a season-high eight runs in a loss to the Athletics on Friday night.
There were two on with two outs in the second when Altuve smacked a changeup from MacKenzie Gore (4-11) into the Crawford Boxes to put the Astros on top 4-1.
Mauricio Dubón singled with one out in the sixth and Hummel made it 6-1 and chased Gore with his third homer of the season.
Washington interim manager Miguel Cairo was ejected following Hummel’s home run after having words with home plate umpire Ryan Additon.
Zack Short walked after that and Altuve collected his third single before Diaz pushed the lead to 9-1 with his home run to left-center.
Gore allowed eight hits and six runs in 5 1/3 innings.
The Astros have combined for 16 runs in the last two games to get their offense going after managing just eight total runs during their five-game skid.
Key moment
Altuve’s home run that gave Houston the lead.
Key stat
Altuve’s home run was the 727th extra-base hit of his career, moving him into a tie with Lance Berkman for third-most in franchise history. They trail Hall of Famers Craig Biggio (1,014) and Jeff Bagwell (969).
Up next
Both teams are off Thursday before Washington hosts Milwaukee on Friday night and Houston opens a series at Boston.
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