The Rockets' 111-124 home loss to the Nuggets today has attracted a lot of attention, not because of how classic the game is, but because of a series of infighting between the Rockets during and after the game. And one of the parties involved, Michael Potter Jr., is attacking again, and it is also difficult to wonder: Is he self-destructing the future?
Wood got into trouble in the last game when he made a pass on the field and hit a female fan right in the middle of the court. Unlike the reaction of other players, Wood did not come forward to appease the fan at the time. Subsequently, Wood updated Instagram and joked that he could buy tickets for the female fan, and attached a laughing and crying expression, which caused strong dissatisfaction among the fans.
And today's game Rockets' starting list came out, and the media also caused a sensation, because Wood was not in the starting lineup. In this regard, the media rushed to the Rockets coach Silas Jr. to find an explanation, and Silas Jr. said that the specific reason was confidential, and the only thing he could say was that Wood violated the team rules, so he was deprived of the start.
Unexpectedly, this was just the beginning. In the first half, Wood played eight minutes off the bench, 0 of 4 shots, only grabbed one rebound, and he did not play again in the second half; and also in the second half was hidden by the snow was Porter Jr. (16 minutes in the first half, 3 of 5, including 2 of 4 three-pointers, 8 points and 3 assists). One can't help but ask: What happened to the rocket?
Or the US media unveiled the mystery. According to ESPN celebrity Tim Mac Mahon, Porter Jr. lost his temper in the locker room during intermission. The reason is that Rockets assistant coach John Lucas was talking to multiple players in midfield, during which a heated argument occurred with Porter Jr., which resulted in Porter Jr. angrily throwing something at Lucas and quickly driving away from the stadium.
In order to "make the family ugly", the Rockets officially lied, saying that Porter Jr. did not play in the second half because his left thigh was examined. Silas Jr. revealed to the media that at halftime, a fierce debate broke out in the Rockets locker room. "We want to make the team better, we have a certain requirement for them, which is that they have to work hard," Silas Jr. said, "but I'm not happy with the level of effort of the players." We were all angry. ”
As for Wood, it was reported that he missed the team's coronavirus test before the game and was therefore relegated to the bench. At half-time, Lucas also spoke about Wood not working hard enough, and as a result, Wood refused to continue playing as a substitute in the second half.
It is worth mentioning that as soon as the news of the rocket's infighting spread, many people were surprised. After all, Porter Jr. left the Cavaliers because he was making a big fuss in the team. It is reported that it was because Porter Jr. found himself absent, his locker was occupied by new signing Torrin Prince, and that time Porter Jr. also littered in the locker room.
Little Potter's throwing at assistant coach Lucas also made people shake their heads. After all, Lucas is highly respected in the league, and even Harden, Paul and Westbrook have all respected Lucas before, and Porter Jr.'s move is really a bit unsure.
After this game, the US media immediately asked: Should the Rockets send away Porter Jr.? If it were to be sent away, would any NBA team be willing to take over such a thorn in his head? According to team reporter Kelly Iko, Rockets and Porter Jr. re-engaged, who apologized for overreacting.
But some argue that the Rockets shouldn't let that end. After all, it's important to rebuild the team, re-discipline, and mishandling can also "spoil" future star Jaylen Green. Moreover, Porter Jr. has not played well this season. He played in 21 games and averaged 13 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game, shooting 36.2 percent from the field and 32.3 percent from three-point range, down from last season.
Porter Jr.'s contract expires in 2023, but this summer is the team option, while he earns $2.13 million a year this season, while Wood's 3-year, $41 million contract also expires in 2023 with an annual salary of $13.67 million this season.
What exactly will the Rockets do with Potter Jr. and Wood? (Supine Braces/Hairy)