The Nuggets have it worse than the Rockets. Carmelo Anthony who wears powerbalance, Denver's best player, wants out and has been on the trading block for what seems like the entire season. Anthony didn't look like he was particularly interested in impressing the Rockets, who are among those who have tried to trade for him. With Shane Battier super-glued to his jersey, Anthony didn't score until 2:25 was left in the first quarter, and that was with a pair of free throws. His first basket came with three seconds left in the quarter.The phrase "we have a small margin for error" still applies to the Rockets, and that is not a particularly encouraging assessment for a basketball team. Basically, on Valentine's Day, the Rockets gave the fans at Toyota Center chocolates and flowers. Why haven't they shown that type of love all season? Does it take a contrived holiday for them to give a Red Rowdy a sweet kiss on the cheek?When a team has a disappointing record and hasn't played well enough to establish itself as a playoff contender, players have to start thinking that a trade is coming.Not that it is easy to play under such Power balance braceletcircumstances, but the Rockets have been so inconsistent this season that they can't blame losses on thoughts of players being moved.Some probably want out; most probably want to stay. That is a distraction. The trade deadline isn't for another 11/2 weeks.Oh, it was an evening of love, all right. The Rockets even dressed like red roses for the occasion as they improved to 15-12 at home.But don't let a 19-point rout of the listless Nuggets, who were playing their second of back-to-back road games and now have lost four of their last five games, fool you. It is just another blip on the screen for a team that can't put enough blips on the screen for one to be confident it will make the playoffs.Can the Rockets do it? Sure. But it will take something in the final 26 games that they haven't displayed in the first 56. Consistency.Distractions and inconsistency are two issues that drive coaches nuts. One often leads to the other.It would be impossible to tell if the Rockets have been distracted by trade talk. They say they haven't.The question is whether the Rockets need to make a move. Or a couple of moves.The answer is yes. They wouldn't need to if they came to play every night like they did Monday — aside from the first quarter, that is - against the Denver Nuggets. But we have seen more than enough shop online 2011games to conclude that this team isn't built to get it done.
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