Road to redemption begins in Los Angeles
Rockets guard James Harden insisted he did not mind the criticism. He would barely acknowledge it as motivation. But there was something that got under his skin.
“They don’t talk about us at all,” he said, the smile that he had worn when discussing his indifference to public critiques replaced by a scowl. “We’re not even mentioned.”
That can all change, starting Wednesday in Los Angeles, when the Rockets’ “fresh start” season returns them to the spotlight that burned them so badly last season. They open on national television against the Lakers. They will face the reigning champion Cavaliers next week. They get their chance to atone for last season’s slide from presumed championship contenders.
“It’s a fresh start now,” forward Corey Brewer said. “It’s the real deal. It’s time for us to prove we’re a different team. We’re going to be better team. It’s going to be a good team.
“It’s a lot of motivation. We have a chance to prove we’re going to be a team to be reckoned with. Nobody is even saying anything about us. We’re not even in the talk. It’s kind of a motivation for us. It puts a chip on our shoulder. We have to prove them wrong.”
After falling so short of expectations last season, the Rockets have a long journey to earning them again. With a brutally difficult schedule to start the season — seven of their first eight games and 14 of 20 are on the road, including games against the Warriors, Cavaliers, Spurs (twice) and Thunder — the Rockets will get their chance to demand attention.
“We’re still flying under the radar,” guard Eric Gordon said. “I think a lot of people know we’re going to be good. They don’t know how good. You always hear about Golden State, the Clippers, the Spurs. I think we’re as good as any of them. As long as we stick to what we do, we’ll prove it.”
Like new clothes on the first
day of school, teams typically carry optimism into the start of the season. The Rockets’ strong preseason helped that. But they will not return to presumed contender status that easily.
They began last season in the middle of those conversations. Even if that is a much more exclusive club this season, with the Warriors and Cavaliers heavy favorites to become the first teams to meet in the NBA Finals in three consecutive seasons, players will use any perceived slight as motivation.
Chip on many shoulders
For the Rockets, a team consisting of players either part of last season’s fall or doubted because of previous struggles, it is easy to look at the start of the season as a chance to prove a point.
“They use it,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said. “I think everybody has a personal challenge. Either they’ve been beat up in the media for a reason or people think they’ve been hurt. They can’t be back to what they were. Clint (Capela) being young and not proven. Nene having a bounce-back year. Same way with me, the coaching staff, everybody.
“These are highly driven people. They use whatever they can as fuel. One of the reasons I think we’ve had an unbelievably good camp, the enthusiasm, is because everybody has something to prove.”
After a 41-41 season in which the Rockets did not qualify for the playoffs until the final day, they are expected to be a playoff team. But that is not considered the certainty it was heading into last season.
Reputation will not change that rapidly. But with the exception of the injury to guard Pat Beverley, the Rockets have had almost everything go right in the run-up to the season opener, from the voluntary offseason mini-camps in Las Vegas, Miami and Houston to the trip to China to practices that had D’Antoni raving about the attitude of the team he inherited.
Changes in mood and attitude do not make teams championship contenders, especially in the “super team” era. But the Rockets showed last season how debilitating dysfunction can be.
“I think … the way we feel about each other and our togetherness is along those lines,” said forward Trevor Ariza said when asked if the Rockets should be considered contenders. “Are we a championship team at this point in time? No, I don’t think, but we’re working towards that. That’s our ultimate goal. We’re taking the appropriate steps to become that.”
‘Tough schedule to start’
Having long waited for this second chance, the Rockets’ get their opportunity to see what they can do with a rebuilt roster and revised attitude. One way or another, they will be noticed.
“We’re all excited to get this season under way,” forward Ryan Anderson said. “It’s been a long preseason. We really want to see what this team can do. We have a lot of confidence in each other, a lot of confidence in this team, this system and everything we have. We have a tough schedule to start off the season, but those are huge opportunities for us to play against great teams and see what we’re made of.”