The upper hand
Coach Mike DA’ ntoni makes opponents adjust to the matchups he puts on the court.
Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni never considered a lineup or rotation change to match up with the Pelicans and their frontcourt combination of DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis.
He will not change things Sunday against the fortified frontcourt of the Thunder. D’Antoni said he will stick with what has worked for a simple reason.
“They match up with us,” D’Antoni said. “We don’t match up with anybody.”
D’Antoni will sometimes change his starting lineup to have Nene available to defend more physical low-post centers.
But he has not played Nene and Clint Capela together and would not pair one of them with Montrezl Harrell to get more size on the floor. If anything, he has battled size by downsizing, forcing opposing big men to defend Trevor Ariza at power forward.
“I’ve always kind of done that,” D’Antoni said of sticking with his plan regardless of matchups. “I just feel like the way we are playing is the best we can play. If it’s not good enough, so be it. But everything has an effect. So, OK, play Clint and Nene in there and maybe your spacing is bad and maybe James Harden) can’t get to the rim. Maybe you stop them two times, but they stop us five times and the net result is not as good as the other way. Sometimes you have to double and adjust how you’re playing. Those are adjustments you’ll make, but I don’t think you adjust the whole team.”
Trying to limit Harden’s assists
James Harden went into Friday’s game producing 56.7 points per game with his scoring and assists, just .1 behind the NBA record Nate Archibald has held since the 1972-73 season.
If given his choice, Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said he would rather take his chances with Harden’s scoring to limit the Rockets scoring off his passes.
“You have to do the best job you can of managing Harden,” Gentry said. “He’s become not only a prolific scorer, he’s such an assist guy now.
“When he has 13, 15 assists, they’re almost unbeatable.”
Motiejunas finds silver lining
Former Rockets forward/center Donatas Motiejunas had played little for the Pelicans in recent weeks, but said he does not think back on his decision to sign a one-year, minimum contract with the Pelicans rather than return to the Rockets with a deal that could have been worth as much as $37 million over four years.
“Life is too short to regret for something,” Motiejunas, 26, said. “We’ll move aside and look forward. I try not to look at it.
“At the end, everything is going to be cleared up. Everyone’s going to forget that situation. I try not to think about it.”
Motiejunas had averaged four points and 3.1 rebounds in 28 games with the Pelicans heading into Friday’s game, his first in Houston since last season. He had not played in five of 11 games in March, playing six or fewer minutes in the other game.
“I did whatever is in my power to be on the floor,” Motiejunas said. “The rest is not my decision.
“I’m happy to play basketball and after the season will make a decision about where I’m going to play the rest of my career.
“Hopefully, everything will work for the best.”