Last night, James Harden knocked down a game-winning jumper(although the NBA has now announced that it was an offensive foul), and the Rockets’ bench looked less than enthused:
The video of the Rockets’ bench reacting went viral. There have been a lot of laughs, and a lot of criticism
regarding the team’s chemistry. Center Dwight Howard doesn’t like it. From Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle:
Harden had put the Rockets in front with 2.7 seconds left, but the video of the bench reaction – with Howard, Corey Brewer and Terrence Jones relatively stoic – inspired debate about the Rockets’ thinking at the time.
Howard said he thought one thing.
Don’t let them get a shot off,” he said.
“They’re known to hit crazy shots. I know last night, things were brought up about the bench not being happy about James hitting the shot,” Howard added. “I think all of us were happy. At the same time, we were more focused on ‘we can’t allow this team to get the ball again and shoot.’ Sometimes they play like Angels in the Outfield. They might catch it at halfcourt and hit a crazy shot. You just can’t celebrate in a situation like that.”
…
“Nobody was upset or mad that James hit the shot,” Howard said. “I think all of us were focused. That could have been the season right there. I think everybody made a big deal out of nothing. We were very happy that we won the game, but we were kind of upset that we put ourselves in that position to where it took a last-second shot for us to win the game when we clearly had them beat from the beginning of the game.
“For all those people saying we weren’t happy and excited that James hit the shot, shut up.”
Well, that answers that. No, internet, Dwight Howard was not thinking about how his vacation would be postponed, he was focused on the game. Or that’s what he says, anyways.
