Instead of opponent’s locker room, how about infiltrating the Finals?
If only the Rockets showed this much fight against the reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors.
If only James Harden had been this invested in the battle against San Antonio at the end of last season’s playoff noshow versus the Spurs.
The Rockets’ failed invasion of the Clippers’ locker room played well on Twitter late Monday night in Los Angeles. Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal couldn’t stop laughing and giggling like children on national TV. Fan-made videos were instantly created, turning the Rockets’ sudden storming of the gates — through a “secret” back corridor inside Staples Center — into 30-second comedy routines.
Chuck, Shaq and all the silly memes were hilarious.
But the Rockets just ended up looking foolish, missing the NBA’s big picture again.
They fell 113-102 to a limited Clippers team that is barely better than average, dropping their eighth game in 13 contests
and falling 4½ games behind the Warriors. Then someone decided the perfect follow-up answer to another defeat without Harden was to sneak into L.A.’s locker room and … do what, exactly? Shout a few impolite things at Blake Griffin and Doc Rivers’ son before both sides were forced to return to their safe places?
Mike D’Antoni had already verbally fired away at Griffin, whose rim-shaking power is matched by his fake tough-guy act.
Capela didn’t get memo
But some of the Rockets’ biggest names (Chris Paul, Trevor Ariza, Harden) apparently couldn’t even get on the same page after the “L.” Clint Capela reportedly went to the front door of the Clippers’ locker room, instead of through the back, which left the Rockets center knocking for entry and being shut out of the fight that never was.
The horrific Malice at the Palace between Detroit and Indiana in 2004 is the most recent proof that on-court posturing in the NBA can clearly go too far. But 99.9 percent of the time, it just ends up as a couple of guys shouting at each other near the loading dock before luxury buses depart for another five-star hotel. Or two multimillionaires muscling up for a few seconds inside a dimly lit tunnel as security guards calmly watch nearby.
What were the Rockets really going to do? Ignite a full-on, oldschool brawl inside the Clippers’ locker room? Smart, professional and classy. Just like a modern NBA champion.
If key Rockets are suspended for the team’s playground act, they’ll have only themselves to blame. Especially with two of the league’s best teams (Minnesota and Golden State) up next on the Toyota Center calendar.
Griffin can have the delicacy of a bull. Austin Rivers has long topped the list of NBA players easiest to hate. And sure, the fact that Paul spent six thrilling but ultimately frustrating seasons with Los Angeles’ other basketball team certainly played a major part in Monday night’s macho act. As did ex-Rockets Patrick “Wolverine” Beverley, Lou Williams, Sam Dekker and Montrezl Harrell’s now wearing Clippers red and blue.
“It’s a different culture in LA. No more soft (stuff ) here !!!!! ” Beverley tweeted after the game, despite the fact he was wearing street clothes the entire contest.
Griffin then added a video of the Joker igniting an explosion in a “Batman” movie.
Doc Rivers’ chaotic Clippers have been even worse than the Rockets at finishing what they started.
We’ll see who’s united
During an era when hard fouls are as outdated as post play and mid-range 2s, the drama-soaked NBA is fantastic.
But if anyone tells you the temporary chest-puffing in L.A. illustrates just how tight the Rockets’ chemistry is — how united and locked-in this squad has become — you should remind them that Harden’s team has struggled with its priorities and finishing things the right way for years.
The Rockets also got into it with the Mavericks in December 2016.
“That other team was trippin’ tonight, just disrespectful, unprofessional, players and coaches,” Harden said then.
“What we experienced today as a team. Was the upmost disrespect. And total disrespect to Us and the GAME OF BASKETBALL ... Still got the W tho,” tweeted Beverley, when he was still fighting for Houston’s basketball team.
After that victory, Ariza waited outside Dallas’ locker room for center Salah Mejri. Nothing happened then, either. And the Rockets’ new fire disappeared just in time for a Game 6 no-show against the Spurs.
In the playoff heat of April and May, no one cares if you briefly pushed your way into another team’s locker room in mid January. Everyone remembers how your season ended — or if you were strong enough to keep fighting into June.
If these Rockets can do that in 2018, then we’ll know they’re more than just talk this time.