Mike D’Antoni rips team for ‘soft’ effort in embarrassing loss to Heat

NBA: Preseason-Houston Rockets at Miami Heat

It’s unclear if the Rockets came down a case of the infamous “South Beach flu,” or if they simply didn’t execute well in Sunday’s 129-100 blowout loss to the Heat.

Whatever the reason, Houston got dominated from start to finish, and simply did not play well.

The Rockets fell behind 46-14 after just one quarter of play, leading many to wonder if the “South Beach flu” played a part. For those that don’t know, the angle involves teams that play Sunday afternoon or early evening games in Miami, with players struggling because they hit up the South Beach clubs on Saturday night. And given who the Rockets have on their roster, it’s certainly possible.

Regardless, the Rockets got dominated on both ends of the floor, and head coach Mike D’Antoni was not happy about it. He even called the team “soft” in speaking to reporters after the game.

Maybe Russell Westbrook caught the “South Beach flu,” because this stat line is historically bad.

The Rockets have a great opportunity to rebound on Monday night, as they’ll square off against the young, tanking Grizzlies in Memphis.

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