You’ve had some of the trickiest locker rooms that I’ve been around when it comes to the relationships with your guys. But outside looking in, I’ve sensed that the locker room dynamic in your time in Houston has been really strong and that you haven’t really had many fires to put out. Does that sound about right? Mike D’Antonti: “Oh, that’s definitely the case. And probably, there’s a lot of reasons. Basically, Chris, James, and the guys who were here last year, are good guys. And they like each other. But I think also, not having the shoot-arounds (on game days), and not being around each other all the time, is kind of healthy. You’re not getting tired of the same old shit the guy just said, and you’re like ‘Man, do I have to hear that again?’ It’s good to get away. Even the coaches are less cranky, and that’s when little flash fires start, when everybody is on edge or tired, or bored. And again, it goes back to the players. They’re good, and they understand what’s at stake. But we keep telling them, ‘hey, there’s going to be some days where you’ve got to swallow (your pride) because somebody did something you’re not going to like.’ I mean we all have egos. …Today, this guy is going to yell at you, and tomorrow you’re yelling at another guy and then that guy is yelling at somebody and then everybody’s yelling at (Rockets center) Clint (Capela) (laughs). That’s just the way it is. Just take it for what it’s worth, and there will be moments where everybody is pissed at each other. But it’s got to go quickly, and it does.”
