Mike D’Antoni recently informed the Houston Rockets that he doesn’t plan on renewing his contract allowing him to be a free agent. The news comes after the Rockets were eliminated 4-1 in the semifinals by the Los Angeles Lakers.
In 2016, D’Antoni replaced Kevin McHale as head coach of the Rockets. D’Antoni would have James Harden to work with who was ascending since his arrival in Houston back in 2012. In D’Antoni’s first season as head coach of the Rockets, he finished as a 3rd seed in the Western Conference with a record of 55-27.
In the playoffs, Houston defeated the MVP Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder in six games. The Rockets would advance to the semifinals and face the 2nd seeded San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs weren’t the same team as they were back in 2014 when they won the championship. Tim Duncan had retired, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker were at the latter part of their careers, and Kawhi Leonard was the face of the franchise.
In Game 1, the Rockets blew out the Spurs 126-99. In the fourth quarter of Game 2, Tony Parker ruptured his left quadriceps tendon which would force him to miss the rest of the postseason. The Spurs would go on to win that game 121-96.
The series was tied 2-2 going into Game 5. This game went down to the wire but Kawhi Leonard injured his ankle and was sidelined during overtime. Houston trailed by three and won a jump ball with 9.3 seconds left. Ryan Anderson got the ball into Harden’s hands. Harden stepped into a three but was blocked by Manu Ginobili as the game clock expired.
In Game 6, the Spurs annihilated the Rockets at Houston 114-75. It was a lackluster performance by James Harden putting up 10 points (FG 2-11), 7 assists, and 6 turnovers. The Rockets as a team shot 28.6% from the field. It was a winnable game and series for the Rockets but they couldn’t hit their shots.
In the summer prior to the 2017-18 season, Houston acquired Chris Paul from Los Angeles in exchange for seven players including Lou Williams, Patrick Beverley, Montrezl Harrell, a top-three-protected 2018 first-round pick and $661,000. The acquisition of Chris Paul brought hype to the city of Houston along with high expectations to deliver a championship.
This was the season Mike D’Antoni and the Rockets took off with a five-out offense and allowing Harden or CP3 to play isolation basketball. This included pick n’ roll sometimes to gain a favorable matchup:
The Rockets had a league-best record of 65-17 in the 2017-18 season. In the regular season, James Harden averaged 30.4 points, 8.8 assists, 5.4 rebounds, and shot 44.9% from the floor. Alongside, Paul averaged 18.6 points, 7.9 assists, 5.4 rebounds on 46% shooting.
In the postseason, the Rockets eliminated the Timberwolves and the Jazz each in five games. In the Western Conference Finals, the Rockets would have their biggest test against the defending champions in the Warriors. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant is a lot to handle defensively because of their elite shooting and their ability to score.
Golden State had a 2-1 lead in the series going into Game 4, and the Rockets were able to keep the Warriors Big 3 shooting below 40% in that game thanks to Trevor Ariza and P.J. Tucker. The Rockets tied the series and then in Game 5 with less than a minute remaining in regulation, Chris Paul drove and spun to the basket and went down with a hamstring injury. Paul left the game and fortunately, the Rockets won to take a 3-2 lead.
Chris Paul didn’t return in the series which was a big hit for Houston. In Game 6, the Warriors coasted by the Rockets 115-86. Game 7 could’ve went either way but the Rockets shot 7-44 from three-point range. Coach D’Antoni didn’t make any adjustments, he encouraged his team to keep shooting. The Warriors were eventually victorious in Game 7 squeezing by 101-92.
The following year the Warriors eliminated the Rockets again but in the semifinals in six games. The Rockets postseason run in 2017-18 was their year to win a championship but because of Paul’s injury and the system that D’Antoni ran, it led to their demise.
The Rockets have averaged the most three-point attempts in each of the last three seasons but the shots aren’t great looks. Inserting a different coach can draw up plays for Harden to get more open looks. Isolation doesn’t work the defense, it’s very predictable, and the last three seasons have been proof that it doesn’t lead to championship-winning basketball.
With a backcourt of James Harden and Russell Westbrook, that play style isn’t the best. A coach like Mark Jackson was able to elevate the game of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson with ball movement and cutting. Since Harden has been in Houston, he always has the ball in his hands. If he’s off the ball he’s usually sitting in the corner and uninvolved with the play. Harden would be more of an offensive threat if he is running around screens similar to Curry to involve motion on the court. The Rockets can get over the hump but with a different coach and system. Isolation can work but not effectively if you’re running it every single possession.
Small-ball is another issue that Houston had. Yes, you can space the floor a lot better without a traditional center but you’re losing the rebound battle. Also, P.J. Tucker, Harden and Robert Covington often found themselves in foul trouble because they were matched up with a center and were forced to foul to avoid an easy basket. Spacing might be a pro in this situation but there are more cons.
As for Mike D’Antoni, he’s coached hall of fame players in Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, and now James Harden. Mike D’Antoni has had the rosters to win but has underachieved. Although, given the roster that he had this season he enforced his team to play solid defense. The Rockets had some decent defensive stretches in the bubble which could be applied to his next coaching gig.