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Rockets owner Fertitta: 'This is our window'

Bill Baptist / National Basketball Association / Getty

Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta made a good chunk of his fortune running casinos, and he's betting that the time is now for his basketball team.

"I think we put ourselves in the position that if we don't win it in the next three or four years, we probably aren't going to win one in the next 10 years," Fertitta told Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes. "This is our window, and we need to seize the opportunity."

Fertitta was mainly referring to the Rockets' blockbuster summer acquisition of Russell Westbrook in exchange for Chris Paul. While Westbrook is three years younger than Paul, Houston remains a veteran team.

"This is the time," he said. "I just re-signed Eric Gordon, who is 30, and I've got Russell and James (Harden) and Eric and Clint Capela for the next four years. P.J. (Tucker) is 34 and our two stars are 30. So this is their window. Let's seize the opportunity."

Fertitta dismissed questions from some quarters about teaming two ball-dominant scorers in Harden and Westbrook in the same backcourt.

"These are two guys that grew up in L.A. together and have known each other most of their lives," he said. "And they can talk to each other. You can say things to each other and the other would not get offended because you're lifelong buddies. And so I think the chemistry's going to be great this year."

The owner also said he expects head coach Mike D'Antoni to be with the Rockets beyond the upcoming season. The two-time NBA Coach of the Year is entering the final year of his contract after extension talks broke down in May.

"I think Mike D'Antoni's going to be coaching here for a long time," Fertitta said.

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