H e'll complain, although usually in jest, about his creaky knees or his stiff back and, yes, he'll disappear for a while most afternoons to sneak in an hour-long nap, something he admits he never used to do. But Mike D'Antoni will tell you 65 is the new 55. The new 45 even.

He'll tell you he feels younger today than he did when he first landed a head-coaching job with Denver - he was 46 at the time - because he doesn't wear himself out sweating the small stuff anymore.

"You change as you get older," D'Antoni said. "I'm a lot calmer, more relaxed. I don't fly off the handle as quickly on the players. I think I coach better, make better decisions, too, because I don't get upset so easily. I bring my blood pressure down. I chill out a little."

In terms of Zen, even the Zen Master himself, Phil Jackson, who was 64 when he won the last of his 11 NBA championships, has nothing on the oldest coach in Rockets history - a coach who might also become the franchise's winningest over the course of a single season in his first year on the job. D'Antoni had his Rockets on a 56.3-win pace after they defeated the defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday night. Their best finish ever was 58-24 under Rudy Tomjanovich during their first championship season in 1993-94 (Rudy T was 45).

Age-wise, D'Antoni is the second oldest non-interim coach/manager ever among Houston's major pro teams, surpassed by only Leo Durocher, who, 35 years into his colorful career, guided the Astros for a single lackluster (82-80) season in 1973, when he was 68. But Durocher was a largely spent force by then, far more Leo than Lip.

Running the age gamut Oldest, youngest Houston coaches/managers through the years: Age Team Season Leo Durocher 68 Astros 1973 Wade Phillips 66 Texans 2013* Mike D’Antoni 65 Rockets 2016-17 Rick Adelman 64 Rockets 2010-11 Sid Gillman 63 Oilers 1974 Jimy Williams 60 Astros 2004 Jack Pardee 58 Oilers 1994 Phil Garner 58 Astros 2007 Bob Lillis 55 Astros 1985 Larry Dierker 54 Astros 2001 Rudy Tomjanovich 54 Rockets 2003 * Interim coach for 3 games Age Team Season Jeff Fisher 36 Oilers 1994 Bo Porter 40 Astros 2013 A. J. Hinch 40 Astros 2015 Art Howe 42 Astros 1989 Wally Lemm 42 Oilers 1961 Hugh Taylor 42 Oilers 1965 Hugh Campbell 43 Oilers 1984 Hal Lanier 43 Astros 1986 Rudy Tomjanovich 43 Rockets 1991-92 Jerry Glanville 44 Oilers 1985 Bill Virdon 45 Astros 1975 Bill O’Brien 45 Texans 2014 Terry Collins 45 Astros 1995 Gary Kubiak 45 Texans 2006 OLD GUYS CLUB Oldest coaches/managers to win championships: Coach Team Age Season NBA Gregg Popovich San Antonio Spurs 65 2014 NFL Tom Coughlin New York Giants 65 2011 MLB Jack McKeon Florida Marlins 72 2003 NHL Scotty Bowman Detroit Red Wings 68 2002 ALL AGES WELCOME IN ASSOCIATION The average age of the 30 current NBA coaches is 51. Three are 51 while 13 are older and 14 are younger with the baby in the bunch being the Lakers’ Luke Walton, 36. In their 60s 3 Gregg Popovich, Spurs, Mike D’Antoni, Rockets, Alvin Gentry, Pelicans In their 50s 14 Dwane Casey, Raptors; Terry Stotts, Trail Blazers; Thom Thibodeau, Timberwolves; Rick Carlisle, Mavericks; Stan Van Gundy, Pistons; Brett Brown, 76ers; Steve Clifford, Hornets; Doc Rivers, Clippers; Nate McMillan, Pacers; Jeff Hornacek, Knicks; Scott Brooks, Wizards; Billy Donovan, Thunder; Steve Kerr, Warriors, Quinn Snyder, Jazz In their 40s 10 Kenny Atkinson, Nets; Mike Budenholzer, Hawks; Erik Spoelstra, Heat; Michael Malone, Nuggets; Fred Hoiberg, Bulls; Dave Joerger, Kings; Jason Kidd, Bucks; Frank Vogel, Magic; David Fizdale, Grizzlies; Brad Stevens, Celtics In their 30s 3 Tyronn Lue, Cavaliers; Earl Watson, Suns; Luke Walton, Lakers

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From the looks of things, with the Rockets playing as D'Antoni teams must play, at warp speed, pedal planted on the metal, he's entering a second childhood. And why not? His curmudgeonly counterpart to the west in San Antonio, Gregg Popovich, is still methodically cranking out victories three seasons after he turned 65, when he became the NBA's oldest championship coach with his fifth title.

Young at heart

Age is equal parts number and mindset. Although Pop with his silver beard looks and often plays the part of the grumpy grandpa - if, OK, a downright brilliant grumpy grandpa - D'Antoni talks and carries himself with an almost boyish enthusiasm. Because of it, there are probably players on the roster who may not realize he's eligible for Medicare and has, in fact, already actually filled out the requisite paperwork. Any extension D'Antoni gets to his four-year, $17 million Rockets contract would take him to 70.

So what.

"I take care of myself," he said. "I don't drink. I don't run around and stay out late. During the season, (coaching) is all I do, so I never had to change my lifestyle. Only thing I could get better at is eating. On the plane after we lose I'm depressed so I maybe eat too much and, after we win, I'm happy so I feel like eating more. But I eat smarter than I used to. No desserts, no sugars. That's hard sometimes. I'd die for a milkshake right now."

Trying to explain why a man born during the Korean War can effectively communicate with twentysomethings, a couple of whom were born after the Gulf War, forward Ryan Anderson said, "It's all about his demeanor. (He's) very calm, very low key. And he's the same, day in and day out (always) preaching 'so what - what's next?' If we lose or go through a stretch when we're not playing well, it doesn't affect his approach.

"He believes in his system. He's got 500 wins under his belt. He knows you go through stuff. There's going to be bad games. Things are going to happen he can't control. But he encourages us. He sticks with us. It's always positive."

Players' coach

Forget that he's got enough decades on Clint Capela to be his grandfather. The generational differences notwithstanding, D'Antoni can relate to his players, and he's comfortable allowing them to express their personalities.

Former Rocket John Lucas, who was hired this season as the director of player development, has turned 60 himself and, having spent most of his adult life working with kids in his own programs, he understands the potential for generational discord.

"One thing ours has had a hard time doing is just letting kids be kids," Lucas said. "And you have to realize that players today have a lot more say than they used to. The coach isn't the be-all, end-all (voice) anymore. Mike has been able to adjust. I'd say he's got a young soul … and a young mind."

Anderson, signed this past off-season because of how well he figured to fit into D'Antoni's system, calls him "a guy you can genuinely go grab lunch with and talk about anything. There's nothing intimidating about him. He reminds me of my dad. I'm just so proud and happy to be on a Mike D'Antoni-coached basketball team."

Note that Anderson did not say D'Antoni reminded him of his grandfather.

"That's your word," Anderson responded, laughing. "He'd bring that up with me tomorrow. He's got a great sense of humor."

But surely D'Antoni occasionally loses his train of thought or nods off in a meeting. After all, he is officially a senior citizen.

"Nah," James Harden said. "Hasn't happened. He looks young. He looks happy. He gives us energy. It carries over to all of us. I'm happy to come to work because he's always energized. It motivates us, (knowing) we have a coach that believes in us."

Vision becoming reality

D'Antoni's age was a huge issue for some people, including a few youngish critics in the media. It was not an issue for general manager/fellow visionary Daryl Morey, 44, or the 27-year-old NBA MVP frontrunner Harden, who has evolved into the coach's living, breathing, three-point draining, assist-dishing fountain of youth, a magnified, enhanced version of the coach's first muse in Phoenix, Steve Nash. The 2016-17 Rockets have become exactly the team Morey envisioned they could potentially become when he made his case for D'Antoni's hiring with owner Leslie Alexander.

Keith Jones, the senior vice president of basketball operations who has been in the Rockets organization since the Tomjanovich era, insists nothing needs to be done in terms of daily logistics to accomodate D'Antoni's advancing years. Yes, he can still cut his own food and he even lugs his own bags on road trips. However, Jones notes, the coach wisely "packs light."

And, also wisely, keeps things light.

"He doesn't dwell on the negative," Jones said. "He likes to joke around. During a game, if things aren't going well, he'll come into the huddle (during a timeout) and say, 'Guys, you all right? Come on, get your heads up. We're OK.' It just diffuses everything."

Jones was speaking after Sunday's morning shoot-around at the Toyota Center. That evening, the Rockets came from 14 points down to blow past the defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers. Case in point, it would seem.