The Houston Rockets got busted up by the surprising Miami Heat, who trotted out a 129-100 victory over the NBA title hopeful. Head coach Mike D'Antoni didn't mince words, calling his team “soft” while arguing they should have “appropriate fear” of their opponents or risk getting blown out.
D'Antoni channeled his inner Confucius and mustered a few words of wisdom:
“We're not in trouble, but if we think we're not in trouble, we're in trouble,” said D'Antoni after the game, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
The Rockets have started out this season with an air of arrogance, much like they did to start the 2018-19 season when they soon found themselves scrapping to get back in the playoff race.
Houston might have a dynamic duo in Russell Westbrook and James Harden, but they have yet to mesh or find a way to get the other players involved on a consistent basis.
The Rockets have now lost to the Heat, Brooklyn Nets, and Milwaukee Bucks, only racking up wins against would-be sub-.500 teams like the New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Washington Wizards — all wins by four points or less.
D'Antoni's team has much to prove on the defensive end of the court, as well as the ability to close out games. They will get a chance to bounce back on Monday against the Memphis Grizzlies, though a win against them will hardly cure this malady that could soon become a trend unless there's a shift in emphasis and the “appropriate fear” of losing games that comes with it.
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