HOUSTON _ Without Jimmy Butler, the Miami Heat faced an uphill climb against the Houston Rockets.
An uphill climb the Heat (12-5) couldn't overcome, with the Rockets (12-6) earning a 117-108 win on Wednesday at Toyota Center. Butler missed the game with an illness.
Down by as many as 25 points, the Heat cut the deficit all the way down to nine points with less than a minute to play. But it was too late.
The Heat, which is a perfect 7-0 at AmericanAirlines Arena, fell to 5-5 on the road.
Here are five takeaways from the Heat's loss to the Rockets ...