Rockets Held A Post-All-Star Meeting To Change Trajectory Of Losing Season
HOUSTON — When the Houston Rockets returned from the All-Star break on Feb. 22, there were 24 games left in the regular season.
And with a record of 13-46, there were reasons to believe that development would be the lone focus once the season resumed — especially considering Houston were the front-runners to win the Victor Wembanyama Sweepstakes in May.
But instead of giving up on the season, the Rockets held a meeting to declare the final 24 games would be the best batch of basketball the team would play.
Nearly three weeks since the meeting, the Rockets are riding their longest winning streak of the season at three, and they have won five out of their last eight games.
"Everyone was excited to play and get the second half of the season going," K.J. Martin said. "We all care for the game a lot. I care for the game a lot. And ever since then, we have been playing well."
The meeting the Rockets held wasn't just for the players. But coach Stephen Silas and his entire staff joined in. Silas said everyone shared their thoughts on what the team wanted the final 24 games to look like while establishing a new identity.
Everyone had their voice heard. But no player had the most prominent impact than Frank Kaminsky.
Jae'Sean Tate said Kaminsky challenged the team to play their best basketball to close the season, and his message resonated within the locker room.
Everyone was on one accord to hold a passionate meeting following an embarrassing 133-96 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Feb. 15.
"There were just some things we had to discuss to make sure we did not come back the way we left," Tate said. "We all come from winning. And this is the first time everyone was tired of losing. We did not come to the NBA to lose games.
"It clicked in our heads. And the way we were doing things wasn't enough. We took accountability within ourselves by looking in the mirror and seeing what we could do better."
The Rockets had a rocky start once the season resumed.
Houston's losing streak reached 11 after dropping four consecutive games post the All-Star break, while Klay Thompson and Damian Lillard scored a season-high in points — respectively. Lillard scored a career-high 71 points to lift the Portland Trail Blazers in a win over the Rockets on Feb. 26.
Silas admitted the losses made it difficult for the team to stay true to their objectives established in the meeting. But the Rockets used the games as steppingstones.
With 12 games left in the season, winning will remain the top priority for Houston. The Rockets refuse to throw away the rest of the season in favor of development and ping pong balls.
"This has everything to do about our guys more than anything," Silas said. "I wanted to hear what they wanted out of these last 24 games. They came up with some good stuff. When you find success doing it, then you want to do it more — and they are doing it."
You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24
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