Anthony natural as a starter

made his first start with the Rockets, moving into the starting lineup at small forward as the team looked for replacements with two starters — James

Harden and James Ennis III — out with injuries and searched for solutions to its slow start.

Anthony, who led the Rockets with 24 points in Friday’s loss, said starting would come naturally, having never come off the bench in his first 16 NBA seasons. But he said the adjustment is ongoing.

“Every game is a little different,” Anthony said. “Every situation is a little different. I think you just go into the game openminded and see what comes.”

Anthony on Wednesday had as many field goals (nine) and as many 3pointers (three) as in his first three games combined, making a mix of the catch-and-shoot looks that are a significant part of his responsibilities in the offense but also some of the one-on-one jump shots he has taken throughout his career.

“He’s probably feeling more comfortable,” coach

Mike D’Antoni said. “He’s probably pretty comfortable taking 3s. He’ll always have some midrange. Just being able to blend it in without compromising anything. We still don’t want the midrange 2s, but so be it if it happens. Any time you’re with a new group, you haven’t played with them, it takes some time adjusting.”

Rotation brings strange twists

With Carmelo Anthony starting and the Rockets without James Ennis III and James Harden, coach Mike D’Antoni had to juggle his rotation, in ways he did not expect in the second week. Anthony had been playing as the backup power forward, replacing P. J. Tucker and then playing with Tucker when he returned to replace center Clint Capela.

D’Antoni guessed Anthony played more minutes with Tucker and Capela on the floor in Wednesday’s game than in all of the practices since the start of training camp a month earlier combined.

“They would slip in there sometimes in practice,” D’Antoni said. “I knew (changes were possible.) The season is always like that. You’re going to go through a whole series of stuff before you get the team set on certain rotations, certain places. Injuries happen. You just have to deal with it.”

While Gerald Green was available to be the backup at shooting guard and small forward, Anthony had to get some of his playing time as a backup power forward.

“He’ll still move over when P.J. needs a rest or vice a versa,” D’Antoni said. “One of those two will come out, get a rest and go back in for the other guys.”

Winning stays highest priority

The injuries to starters James Ennis III and James Harden, following the two-game suspension of Chris Paul, has helped

force playing time to rookies Gary Clark and Isaiah Hartenstein.

That could help them develop, coach Mike

D’Antoni said before Friday’s loss made them 1-4, but that’s not the priority.

“They’re good. I like them. But they’re rookies,” D’Antoni said. “We got to win. The leash is awful short. It is hard for them to come in and just off the bat contribute.

“It’s really not fair to them. They need to be weaned in throughout the year. We complicated things with injuries, with the suspension. They’re kind of thrown into the fire. We try to use them when we can. What I have to guard against CP ( Chris

Paul) and P. J. ( Tucker) playing too many minutes. At the same time, we’re trying to win. The rookies will get some experience they probably wouldn’t have. That’s good in the long run. In the short run, we’re all about we got to win tonight. We can’t worry about tomorrow, the next day. We’re trying to get a win tonight.”