HOUSTON – Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni offered a vigorous defense of the seven-man rotation he employed in Game 5 of the West semifinals and indicated he won’t hesitate to stick to that plan again in Game 6 Thursday night.
“If we feel like we need to (expand it), we will,” D’Antoni said. “But I’m not going to do it just because some people can’t count or they can’t figure it out.”
The Rockets finished Tuesday’s 110-107 overtime loss to the Spurs with four starters logging 40-plus minutes, including point guard James Harden, who played 43 minutes. Afterward, critics suggested it was a reason why Harden went scoreless in OT on 0-of-3 shooting with three turnovers.