Rockets guard Kevin Martin has become a model of scoring efficiency, but the team's record has robbed him of any joy

Kevin Martin didn't move. Long after he had returned to his locker, swaddled in a towel with most teammates dressed and heading for the bus, he remained with his back to the room, stunned.

As he emerged from his thoughts, his voice was neither angry nor hushed, his mood more shocked than sullen.

With Wednesday's 116-99 loss at Oklahoma City, the Rockets had fallen to 3-8, blown out for the first time in this short — but in some ways long — season. Martin never imagined himself carrying such a scoring load and suffering through the sorts of struggles he was certain he left behind in Sacramento.

"Oh, it's been so tough — mentally, physically, everything," Martin said. "We didn't see it coming, but we also didn't see a lot of things coming. We didn't see the inconsistency with who's out there, our defense, a lot of it. It's tough. A lot of us are at a loss for words.

Martin, a 6-7 guard, leads the Rockets in scoring and is second in the NBA behind Kobe Bryant in points per minute.

He not only has averaged 23.1 points per game, he has done it by taking just 14.4 shots per game (fewer than any top-10 scorer) and poured in at least 18 points in every game.

One of the league's most efficient scorers this season — he averages more points per shot than any other top-20 scorer — Martin, 27, has made 45.6 percent of his shots and 36.8 percent of his 3-pointers. He's made an average of 8.1 free throws per game, shooting 89.9 percent from the line.

But Martin said he takes no pleasure from his performance.

"I think 3-8 prevents those feelings, big-time," he said. "It definitely takes away the satisfaction when you're losing. I have to find ways to win.

"My favorite year was my second year (in Sacramento) with Rick (Adelman). I was averaging 10. I was the fifth option. And we went to the playoffs. Those were my happiest moments."

"We're still playing together," he said. "We have moments we're all rallying around each other, having fun. When it is going bad, of course you're going to have a period of 'Why is this happening to us?' But we're going out there, trying to help each other. These days, just the bottom line, we're starting to feel outmanned. It's tough."