Houston Rockets vs Miami Heat Preview

Nov 12, 2012; Houston, TX, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) is defended by Houston Rockets small forward Chandler Parsons (25) in the third quarter at the Toyota Center. The Heat defeated the Rockets 113-110. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Rockets kick off their tough stretch of games in March Tuesday night when the 2-time defending champions Miami Heat come to the Toyota Center. Here’s a preview of the matchup by the numbers:

61

The number of points Lebron James scored Monday night against the Charlotte Bobcats, both a career and franchise high. Playing with a clear mask, James scored 37 points in the 2nd half and hit 8 of 10 from behind the 3-point line. Chandler Parsons will get first dibs defending him, but Parsons is just returning from feeling sick that kept him out of practice last week.

51.1

The field goal percentage for the Heat this season, ranking 1st in the NBA. James, himself, could be having the most efficient season of his career, shooting at 58 percent.

43.7

The percentage opponents are shooting against the Rockets this season, which surprisingly ranks 5th best defensively.

19.7

The number of points the Heat score per game on fast breaks, good for 1st in the league. This game could very well come down to the Rockets’ ability of protecting the ball. The Rockets were last in the NBA in turnovers per game, but now stand at 2nd worst, averaging just a little under 17 turnovers per game, while giving up 19 points per game off those turnovers.

Tip: 7 PM CT

TV: NBA TV