Mike D’Antoni rips Rockets for being ‘soft’ in blowout loss

NBA: Playoffs-Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors

The Rockets got destroyed in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Sunday night, 126-85.

Golden State shot 52.2 percent from the field, including 40.6 from the perimeter, which is a recipe for disaster. Sure enough, that’s exactly how it turned out, with the Warriors finishing the game on a high note — outscoring the Rockets 38-18 in the fourth quarter. That momentum could carry over into Game 4, which doesn’t project well for the Rockets in the series.

Still, the Rockets have the firepower to bounce back — they just need to regroup and correct their mistakes. For one, they’ll need to play a bit more physical, as head coach Mike D’Antoni called them out for being “soft” in speaking to the media after the loss.

D’Antoni commented on how the team failed to haul in rebounds, and couldn’t corral loose balls. Furthermore, he also mentioned their turnovers, as the Rockets turned the ball over 19 times — something teams can’t do against the Warriors. He also said this:

“We played soft actually,” D’Antoni said. “You can’t do that against these guys.”

Well, he’s not wrong. The Warriors looked faster, more physical and they shot lights out — which is probably why they won by a ridiculously large margin.

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