HOUSTON — Mike D’Antoni’s response to a question about James Harden and Russell Westbrook sharing the backcourt seemed far too D’Antoni-esque, even for him. “It’s sad to say, but we’re not going to win 82 games this year,” he said with a smirk on his face. “Now we’ve got a chance to win 81.”
Anyone who has spent any amount of time around D’Antoni is all-too-familiar with his calm, cooler-than-the-other-side-of-the-pillow retorts. His sarcastic-but-honest nature makes him one of the more underrated personalities this league has to offer. While some of his comments can be taken lightly, others offer insight into what he truly believes.
Any aspect of the game that played a part in the 117-110 season-opening loss to the Bucks on Thursday night at the Toyota Center — Milwaukee’s defensive strategy on Harden; Houston’s small-ball lineup getting overwhelmed by Brook Lopez (who looked the part of prime Dirk…
