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HOUSTON – The defunct Rockets, who vaguely resemble the team that had the best NBA record last season, find themselves looking for solutions and their "braggart" lost to six games of the season.
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Damian Lillard and Jusuf Nurkic scored 22 points apiece, and the Portland Trail Blazers never let up on a failed 104-85 Houston Rockets defeat on Tuesday night.
Players, fans – and players! – Take note: Some teams, some days, are too exhausted to win. And we have the data to prove it.
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The Rockets are at the bottom of the Western Conference standings with a 1-5 record, tied for the fewest league victories. Houston has often not been competitive, with the Rockets already tied last season's total with three losses of at least 15 points, including a 104-85 loss by the Portland Trail Blazers at the Toyota Center on Tuesday night.
"Right now we are playing like shit," said Rockets coach Mike D & # 39; Antoni. "We just do not play well, you know, I do not have many answers to give you now, we'll watch and we'll fight."
After Houston's previous game, D & # 39; Antoni said on Friday that the Rockets needed to make some drastic defensive changes due to the unqualified squad for their strong reversal strategy. last season. After watching the film, Dr. Antoni flip-flopped, deciding that communication and execution were more important issues than the staff, the X's and the O's.
Houston, playing its fourth road game in six nights, scored 19 points in the first quarter and is still lagging behind. While the Trail Blazers began to roll in the second quarter, the Rockets remained frozen all night, finishing with fewer points than in any of last season's games, with the exception of the season finale. regular, where most regular players rested.
James Harden, the defending player, watched the tense left tendon bench at 32.3% of viewers, 23.3% of 3 points and 56.5% of free throws. Houston never had a lead over Portland and accumulated 28 points in the third quarter, which began with an 11-0 run of the Blazers to bury the Rockets.
"When things go wrong, things go wrong," said Rockets striker Carmelo Anthony, who scored eight points on two out of 12 shots. "Right now, I think we just have to keep fighting, to keep fighting, to keep playing, I really want to stay the course and determine it, and whatever we understand, I'm sure we'll do it. " he.
"It's just a question of victory, feeling, victory, it's funny to say that after the team won the sixty or so 60s matches last year, it's time to say that he has become a winner again. "
There have certainly been extenuating circumstances at the horrible start of the Rockets.
Chris Paul has served a two-game suspension following his fight with Los Angeles Lakers guard Rajon Rondo in the only win of the season in Houston. Harden has missed the last two games and the last five minutes of a 100-89 loss to Utah Jazz, and his availability for this weekend's home and away match in Brooklyn and Chicago is uncertain. James Ennis, the starter of the small novice striker in the season, has missed the last four games due to a hamstring strain. The Nene Hilario reserve center is indefinitely absent due to a strain of calf that has marginalized it all season.
"Nobody's gonna pity us, do you know what I mean?" said Paul, who has played badly since the end of his suspension, shooting nine times 32 of the ground in two defeats. "We are not sorry for ourselves, we need to improve."
D'Antoni said that he thought the Rockets looked like a desperate team on Tuesday, losing their balance in attack, despite an experienced starting lineup led by a star point guard on nine occasions.
"We have lost our courage and we are on our heels," said Dr. Antoni, a thought that was reiterated in the locker room.
"It's very easy for the negativity to start infiltrating the room," Anthony said, adding that he had already seen it in previous editions. "For me, I'm just here to make sure that does not happen, we do not need it for the moment, especially not in this locker room, you do not give it a shot." walk to a dog when it is shot, we have it now, and we can understand that. "
The only good news the Rockets have found is that it's too early in the season with 76 games to play.
"I'm going to ask the analysts, but I think we're still at the mathematical stage," said Antoni, showing that his sense of humor remained intact. "We're going to get out, but we have to play well, the sooner the better … I'm on the ground like everyone else, but I have not lost faith, I know we'll get this. We just have to make it go. "
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