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NEW YORK – Chris Paul asked the Houston Rockets coaches to allow a timeout for players to talk to each other.
"We have played a lot of games now, and the coaches are trying to make shenanigans," said Paul. "We just said," Stay a second. Let us talk. "I mean, at one point, it's enough.We talked about it as a team." What are we going to do? "They just scored each time."
The message seemed to resonate. The Rockets limited the Nets to 36%, winning the 119-111 win on Friday night.
Houston (2-5) broke a four-game losing streak. Paul led the Rockets with 32 points and 11 assists, and Carmelo Anthony added 28, hitting nine of 12 attempts.
Anthony said the wait time for players was a turning point for Houston.
"We were talking, we were screaming and cursing," he said. "It was something we needed to understand and we did it."
Paul added: "[Coaches] can tell us all the diets that they want. It's up to us to see how we are going to stop. "
The defense was a major problem for the Rockets early in the season. They came into play Friday at the 24th rank in defensive efficiency; Last year's team, which won 65 games with an NBA summit, placed sixth in defensive efficiency. But the Rockets lost Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah in the Moute – two wings that played a key role in the defensive success of last season – in an independent attack last summer.
At the end of last week, Dr. Antoni considered making major changes to the Rockets' approach to defense, but he subsequently changed his mind. He added that Houston had made some minor modifications to the defensive scheme during Thursday's training and that the team had used "a bit of a hybrid" anti-switch defense that he had played last season.
"But I really think it starts with wanting to do it," said Dr. Antoni. "We had not despaired before, and [Friday night] We were doing. [Saturday] night we must do it again. "
The Rockets are waiting for that James Harden will be back from a hamstring injury Saturday against the Chicago Bulls. Harden has missed three games since the diagnosis of a grade 1 hamstring strain.
Paul pointed out that he and Harden had only played two games together this season. Paul was suspended for two games as a result of an altercation with Rajon Rondo, the Los Angeles Lakers guard.
"We are going to find out," said Paul.
Antoni credited Paul for helping the Rockets avoid what would have been a demoralizing loss on Friday.
"That's who Chris Paul is," said Antoni. "When times are tough – and he knew that times were tough – he had to find more in himself, and he did it – that's why he's one of the best He just has an incredible spirit that will not let you lose. "
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