SALT LAKE CITY – For all the times in this stunningly stumbling Rockets season that it did not seem things could get worse, from the blowout losses to the blown lead on Monday, this was worse.
No injuries. No fatigue. No excuse.
If Mike D'Antoni thought Monday's second half was played without "spirit or energy," his team showed they could drain a bit more out of the wading pool with a second-half surrender in which they trailed by 37 before clearing the bench for the entire fourth quarter of the Utah's 118-91 romp.
Coming off a game in which they blew a 19-point lead, the Rockets were helpless defensively, lost offensively, and worst of all, looked completely demoralized, as if they had no belief that there was anything they could do about it.