Rockets owner Leslie Alexander was not about to wait for the questions he knew were coming. He barely hesitated long enough for Mike D'Antoni, the coach he picked to take over the Rockets, to take a seat to his left before he addressed the complaints he had heard since D'Antoni's selection nearly a week earlier.
Alexander had long coveted D'Antoni, sharing an affection for a style of play Alexander has wanted for his team well before they shifted to the up-tempo, pace-and-space offense D'Antoni used to help revolutionize the NBA. He was eager to make his case, calling out "naysayers.