I would MAYBE take this quote seriously if it came from anybody, ANYBODY, other than freaking Patterson. Scrubs can't call out studs. It's just that simple.
This statement is a bit reminiscent to the pre 94' Rockets. Hakeem felt like he had to bring us back from deficits singlehandedly. While often he did, and has Harden, you cant do it every game or for a whole season. Hakeem eventually started trusting his teammates more (along with having better teammates as well) and sharing the ball more is what won us 2 titles. I am not saying someone other than Harden should be our go to guy, but we may avoid deficits more in the first place with more balanced scoring and ball sharing.
PPat asking for more touches? Wait when did he become Howard? Coach's note: keep the stat sheet away from Patterson's hands.
PPat is right. Harden hero ball is making everyone else worse. But that's fine with McHale who endorses Harden hero ball. Just like last night how McHale had Harden playing deep into the 4th so he could continue his +20 points streak. Sickening.
It isn't that simple. It is like saying a team does better when they shoot better. Of course teams do better with ball movement as a general rule. The question is WHY is the ball not moving. It isn't always a result of one or two players isolating. When a team does not have shots falling, poor screens set, poor spacing and teams saturating the paint, it is very hard to get ball movement. The funny thing is that the only perimeter player on the Rockets setting screens is James Harden. Lin and Parsons do not, Morris and Patterson just float and the bench is compiled of gunners (Delfino, Douglas). Like most things, it isn't as simple as it seems. If the Rockets knock down shots all of a sudden ball movement will not be an issue.
If anyone honestly believes McHale decides his rotations around Harden's 20 point streak, then they are dumber than a bag of rocks.
It comes down to this: Harden plays no defense, and the coaches DON'T get on him for that. Then they want Harden to do all the play making. There is no better way to destroy team morale than those two things right there.
What the Rockets should do...is Start: Asik, Greg Smith, Parsons, Lin and Harden (The issues with rebounding and perimeter spacing is instantly addressed... Have: Montejunas, PPat/TJones, Morris, Beverly and Douglas off the bench This line up will help the Rockets improve defensively and be able to sustain with a scoring off the bench... Till Mchale addresses his extremely poor choice of reinserting PPat (after the Rockets lost 3 in row)...PPat has had i think one good game...smh When he is on the floor...he isnt doing what a Power forward should do...imagine how much more effective Asik would be with a legit 4...Asik is excellent help defender and a terrific defensive rebounder...and during the course of the game...we shouldnt be relying on Asik's scoring prowess...but at times we need it...bc our PF play has been soooooooo inept... PPAT stop trolling on the studs on the team...and actually do something...ie rolling to the glass...offensive rebounds...Chandler Parsons(our SF) is rebounding at a higher clip than you)...and Lin and Harden are getting to the glass as much as you...plus, in half the minutes that he plays, Greg smith has the same stats as you...
What truly has been sickening, and it's become apperent, in the last several days. Are certain fans trying to paint Harden as a team cancer. Deal with it. Harden is the Rockets' franchise player.
Moving the ball works a lot better when you have other players that are real threats. Right now we dont have those kind of players. hence the shooting slump and TOs. Asik, no threat. Parsons, no threat (too inconsistent), Morris, no threat. Lin, streaky. Douglas, streaky. Patterson, outside streaky. Smith, no threat. Delfino, streaky. I get what you are saying, but the reality is this team is still young and under construction. When we get a new PF or SF that is a legit threat to score we will be much better.
He is the last person on this team who gets to talk. He looks like a dad from the 70's. Go comb yo mustache son!
Pat has every right to say what he wants. Yes he sucks but calling out Harden publicly isn't such a bad idea. Rockets are struggling and it doesn't hurt to instill some ideas especially when it comes from a fellow teammate. Coaching should definitely consider it more.
Not sure how that relates to what I said. As pointed out before the advanced statistics show that Harden isn't THAT bad defensively. Further no one on the Rockets plays any team defense, so it is very difficult to tell how good or bad an individual Rocket players defense is. For example, Parsons has been lit up at times, but I would say he is a quality defender, but has had piss poor help defense. Feel free to continue hating on Harden, never mind that the Rockets would be well under .500% without him.
It's perfect that Harden to hold on to the ball longer, just reduce the god d*mn turn overS. He is the only reliable scorer Rockets has right now.
lol for the people that don't agree with PPATT, isn't this true for Kobe and the Lakers? I mean Dwight Howard is saying pretty much the same thing.