Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Rockets Coach Mike D’Antoni Is Very Pleased With His Team in 2016-17
The Houston Rockets are being led by one of the most dynamic players in the NBA today, and without him, the team would not be doing nearly as well if they did not have him. That man is James Harden.
Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni—who hasn’t coached a squad who had a winning record since 2012-13—is more than pleased with his team bursting through the new year as one of the league’s best. Coach D’Antoni clams the reason for their 27-9 record in 2016-17 is the great chemistry his team has, and the ability to mesh together so easily, even though they have a number of players with different personalities across the roster.
”The character of each guy in that locker room — it’s just off the charts,” D’Antoni said. ”We have tough guys, we have nice guys. They just keep working, keep working, and keep working. It’s a lot of fun coaching them,” he finished.
The Houston Rockets’ 27-9 record is good for third place in the Western Conference behind the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. Currently 4.5 games ahead of both the Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz, if Houston remains steady, they’ll easily be a top-three seed to begin the 2017 NBA postseason.
Houston Rockets sharpshooting power forward Ryan Anderson claims everyone knows their job on the team and there’s no hatred between players. The entire team plays together for one reason only, and it’s to win.
”I think that a huge thing I’ve learned over the years is: to have a successful team, you have to have guys who accept their roles,” Anderson admitted. “There’s gonna be nights where it’s Trevor [Ariza’s] night, there’s gonna be nights where it’s my night, there’s gonna be nights where it’s Eric [Gordon’s] night; obviously all built around James [Harden].”
Anderson also was ranting and raving about MVP-candidate James Harden and the off-the-chart performances he’s had in 2016-17.
”James Harden is not the typical superstar player. You don’t see guys like him very often that play this game,” Anderson said. “He has such great court vision, he sees so many angles, he can obviously score the ball like crazy. But the way he’s passing it, moving it, and rebounding — doing things to sacrifice for the team — is pretty ridiculous.”
James Harden is currently averaging 28.4 points along with 8.2 rebounds and 11.9 assists per game throughout 36 games this season for Houston. Harden has turned Houston from a team who struggled to make it to the postseason, to a marquee team in the NBA.
If the Rockets continue their hot streak of stringing together win-after-win, expect them to make some noise in the 2017 NBA playoffs.
