Interim Kevin McHale’s replacement J.B. Bickerstaff isn’t about to sugarcoat the Houston Rockets’ season. They are a disappointment, a failure, an upside-down mess, and he knows it.
He admitted as much Wednesday night, following Houston’s latest letdown against the Portland Trail Blazers, per KPRC-TV’s Adam Wexler (h/t Bleacher Report):
"We're broken. It's that simple," #Rockets JB Bickerstaff. "We all need to use this break to figure out how we're going to impact change."
— Adam Wexler (@awexler) February 11, 2016
Rockets reserve Jason Terry also lit into the team’s dynamic, per Eric Ringering of 750 The Game:
Jason Terry walks through the media room on way to the locker room. "No chemistry with that group. F****** horrible." #CSNBlazers #ripcity
— Eric Ringering (@ringering45) February 11, 2016
This certainly isn’t ideal. But the Rockets are, in fact, a mess. So maybe it’s good that they’re airing out their shit-stained laundry. James Harden is anchoring a top-10 offense, but the Rockets are hovering around the bottom five in defensive efficiency and, as of now, find themselves outside the West’s playoff picture.
That’s quite the downfall for a roster that, compared to last season, remains largely unchanged. The addition of Ty Lawson shook things up, but he didn’t cost much. Players have simply regressed. The trademark defense that buttressed Houston’s rise through the Western Conference is gone, and Harden, even with a largely healthy roster around him, is once again shouldering a heavy offensive load, all while he himself has devolved defensively.
It’s not good in Houston. And unless general manager Daryl Morey finagles a talent infusion ahead of the trade deadline, the Rockets may soon find this season to be a lost cause.
