Magic loss has Rockets bemoaning 'rock bottom'

Houston's losing streak hit four and the Rockets dropped to sixth in the Western Conference standings on Sunday with a lopsided loss to the Orlando Magic that left the team reeling. Head coach Mike D'Antoni said postgame the team had hit "rock bottom," as All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook left the Toyota Center before speaking with the media. D'Antoni said his team is in a spot where it's "questioning everything."

James Harden said it feels "strange" on the court and agreed with D'Antoni's assessment that the team had plummeted to its deepest depths. "Yes, yep. We're not really worried, just frustrating," Harden said of Sunday's game in which the Rockets were down by 25 points to Orlando at halftime. "Seems like it's all going bad. Only way to get out of it is keep pushing through."

The Magic scored 71 points in the first half. Harden was 6 of 19 from the field Sunday and Houston has shot just 29.1 percent from 3-point range during the four-game losing streak.

Houston traded center Clint Capela at the February deadline in favor of a full-time small-ball approach with P.J. Tucker, an undersized forward, at the traditional "5" spot. D'Antoni was the Western Conference Coach of the Month in February when Houston went 9-2. But Sunday's game was the latest example of a counter punch from opponents. Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic had their way with the Rockets and the Magic outrebounded Houston by 11.

"Eight days ago we were rolling and then all of a sudden the bottom fell out. We're searching a little bit for answers and we'll find them," D'Antoni said.