James Harden jamming out to Adele

This post isn't meant to be a sky is falling type post. It's good to have fun, so I have no problem with this. definitely a signature look for him. I kind of want him to shave his beard and go back to focus'ing 100% on basketball, but am not going to fault him for his looks, who he dates, his proclivities, etc... none of which really hurt his on court performance.

But I am curious as to the lack of substantive media out of the training camp thus far. I think last year, not even in retrospect, it was kind of obvious from the get go that camp wasn't going well.

This year, we definitely have the feel that everyone is getting along real well, their having fun, the offense is free flowing, Capela has added weight .... and? One would expect they'd be putting in some serious time actually learning the new systems, both offensively and defensively.

Is the camp a bit more closed off this year as to when they are actually practicing, and we're only getting media of the beginning / ends "warm up / cool down" type periods?

 

You mean camp or all pre-season?

Feigen has mentioned they don't see any actual practice. I think this is consistent every year. Morey has tweeted some videos of practice, though.

Lack of substantive media?? I agree the Adelle news and Bullard losing the 3pt contest all got twitter action from Clutch, Morey and Feigen.

But, perception maybe, in a twitter world where fans don't listen to the videos or reads articles?. Even still, Harden playing bigger role as "points guard" doesn't count as substantive? Dekker as a 4? Short rotations?

@Clutch has been posting a lot of video interviews after practice, and Feigen as done a piece of several things. Let's see:

• DMA talking about Harden playing PG.
• Harden talking about his new role
• James with the ball in transition in "faced-pace offense"
• DMA Mentioning a shorter rotation
• Dekker being mentioned as a 4 (and possible 2 *wow emoji*).
• General talk of new "free-flowing" offense
• Gordon talks of DMA has him working on "combo guard" playing 1 and 2 (guarding both)
• Both Anderson and Gordon mention similarities to Gentry's offense at NOLA last year
• Bzdelik on defensive philosophy
• Anderson and MDA mention deemphasis of switching on defense
• Capela's improvement -- continued weight gain
• Beverley's weight loss
• Bullard losing the 3-pt shooting contest.
• Anderson -- "The kid (Wiltjer) can really shoot the ball"

bottomline: Feigen By This Author and ClutchFans Rockets Videos are must views daily during camp.

 

Harden and Baron Davis have to be related.

 

yeah, I'm not saying there hasn't been a decent amount of stuff/media/whatever.

I guess I'm just that old guy who won't be moved much until I see it. Because yes, we have a lot of interviews with people saying things. Not really saying anything that isn't obvious. I mean Harden is the new PG... except not really, that was just something that spewed out of MDA's mouth during an interview. He's not the real PG, he's just the guy who will control the ball a lot... basically what he's always been. Maybe he will take the ball up the court a bit more after the other team makes a shot. Free flowing offense? yes, we know. Bzdelick has a defensive philosophy? Well... good! One would expect so.... he's the defensive coach. As someone else mentioned the other day, this is a carbon copy of Elston Turner, of JB as an assistant. Gordon as a combo guard? Right, got it. That's what he's always been, really.

I get that they have to say something, and absent being given access to the "actual" practices, we get what we get.

It just seems like, and this is not meant to offend anyone, but we aren't getting any real answers or articles.
- Rockets report: Less pressure, more shots for Pat Beverley in new offense = um, ok, sure. We kind of hope that's the case. That's the ENTIRETY of the reason MDA was hired. But it's just a guess at the moment. And I'm WAY more interested in if PBev can return to being an actual legit defender, since he's literally the ONLY backcourt NBA player on our roster that can defend a little.
- Mike D'Antoni to experiment with playing rotation = um, yeah. That's usually what happens every year. New players. And with new staff, of course.
- Healthy Nene gives Rockets more options = lol. Great reporting!
- Mike D'Antoni on his offense: 'James Harden will make plays' = please tell me their not paying this dude for these articles!!

I didn't quote every article title, but its all much of the same.

I guess I'd appreciate (i) more recognition of the disaster that was last year, (ii) more recognition of the complete oddity of the MDA hire given the Rockets shortcomings, and (iii) given 1 and 2, more hard questions about how that will be fixed, what stuff they're doing in practice, etc. I mean it's been years since I've seen any consistent defensive philosophy with regards to pick and rolls. Years since we've seen a team that can actually execute an inbound pass, much less one likely to result in an easy score. that type of stuff.

And ya know, if MDA is going to KEEP mentioning DMo, subtly adding the "if/when he gets here comment", a reporters job is to really push on that.

That type of stuff.

 

Harden is the only reason I am optimistic about the Rockets. I know the Warriors have a 50% shot at the title with the other 50 going to the Spurs and the Cavs, but if we can get a 4-5 match up with OKC in the first round and take the Warriors to 6 games I will be happy. Especially when you consider any team that beats the Warriors one time in the regular season it will be like that team won a freaking championship and everyone will talk about it.

 

You implied there was substantive stuff last camp, though. I don't believe so. I think you meant news, interviews, injuries once the pre-season games started. If you're going to criticize camp media coverage vs previous years, show us.

And I think it is very helpful to hear about

• Harden's role,
• Short Rotations,
• Dekker giving looks at the 4,
• Nene/Capela both getting a shot at starting,
• Gordon playing 1 sometimes,
• Gordan/Anderson saying the offense is similar to Gentry's last year (I guess that didn't mean anything to you), and
• deemphasis on switching.

Those things all give us insight. Those are not "I don't believe it until I see it" stuff. You may sweep them away by saying you think they are obvious, but they are confirmation, too.

What exactly do you expect as "substantive." "Harden and Howard don't like each other" stuff only? Full exposure of D'Antonio's offense with practice video analysis?

 

I suppose if DMA wouldn't say anything about DMo, you would complain even more?

Him freely mentioning DMo is pretty big by itself. He doesn't have to say that. They already pushed on this with the Morey and DMA interview on Media Day...Morey is not going to say anything. Reporters aren't getting DMA to say more than he already has, which is A LOT!

Maybe they should push on BJ Armstrong and DMo, then.

 

The established media isn't gonna write stuff like (hard hitting borderline negative stuff) that and loses access.

Yes last year's training camp was a disaster, but remember we only knew that in retrospect. I still remember getting excited for the first game and getting blown out by Denver and having no idea why. We didn't know until much later that ty Lawson was terrible, that Harden was out of shape, that dwight was becoming unhappy, etc

I guess it's up to clutchfans to point this stuff out

 

You certainly may be right. I can't recall.

I think its nice, but wouldn't agree on it being insightful or substantive. They are all very very VERY obvious, maybe with exception of the last point, which I'm not sure i've heard.

I recognize full exposure is not happening. I just want a little more than fluff. Feigen's pieces are fluff. He's got 3 very recent pieces on PBev and his role in the offense, for example, which are all along the lines of he'll get plenty of time, plenty of open looks, no pressure. Um, ok.

I just feel like with an entirely new staff, and a coaching hire that is really out of the blue and really on its surface doesn't make sense given the Rockets were GOOD, albeit a bit stale, offensively, but horrible defensively... well there should be harder questions being asked.

Doubt I'd complain if MDA didn't answer questions about DMo, since it wouldn't be his place to answer. Of course, he's not answering questions about him now, he's just mentioning him, himself.

It is an interesting situation as it has now dragged on. One would assume DMo wants to get paid somewhere, NBA or otherwise.

 

If you say they are all "very very VERY" obvious, then you are saying every coach in the league would do it that way. That's not true.

Harden changing his role is just flat out NOT OBVIOUS at all. The only thing that makes it somewhat obvious is D'Antoni alluded to when he was introduced as Coach in May. I'm just going to disagree with you completely on that. Harden's role change was not "very, very, VERY obvious."

The deemphasis on switching is from MDA interviews and Anderson interviews. Maybe more.

Maybe the difference is I expect the media not to roll out full video analytics of actual changes, or coaches to express everything they are thinking, but I feel confident I can pull a lot of info out of what they say versus what they could have said, and feel I understand some things to expect now...vs scenarios of other coaches and other players.

 

@heypartner I missed the article notations about Anderson and MDA talking about less defensive switching so thanks for mentioning that.

 

they're sorry for breaking your heart?

 

Yep, its unfortunate. And to be 100% clear, I'm not asking for negative stuff, just realism.

We may not have known in the first week, but it was definitely becoming clear in the pre-season. Not that record matters, but they didn't play well in the pre-season and everyone was injured... and it was pretty obvious that McHale was being the same ole McHale. Players coach with no clue on how to run x's and o's offensively/defensively... which really impacted Lawson integration.

 

Well, now I'm confused. Why did you say the journalist should really push on getting more info about DMo, if you say now your wouldn't complain if MDA didn't answer them. Are you saying you would be happy with the hard questions that get "No comment" replies?

 

yes, absolutely. But I get why that doesn't happen.

 

What's the hard question about defense. Don't just complain...tell us what you'd ask.

imso, the hard question to Bzdelik and MDA about defense is this:

"Rockets transition defense was notably horrible last year. Do you agree that some offensive systems in the NBA make it easier to get back in transition that others? And how would your rate the ability of your offensive system to promote improvement in transition defense to match that of SAS and GSW's defense." -- heypartner​

Good luck asking that question or getting a legit response during camp. You simply have to wait for video proof of games to spot a weakness and ask questions directly related to game situations.

 

A "no comment" reply about DMo is interesting to you? Morey just gave that response on Media Day -- Saturday. I'm confused. Not following you at all.

 

I don't think I have to provide examples. I'm just consuming this, and what I'm consuming is mostly fluff, so I'm complaining about it. Your question is fine, and one of many one could ask... and maybe not get a legit response to, not sure.

Interesting as an answer? No. Interesting as a follow-up question about DMo when MDA has mentioned him multiple times? Yes. Or plenty of other follow-up questions about DMo when MDA mentions him.

I get that you want to "dig in" to specifics. I don't need to dig in, really. I just want to note that despite all the changes to coaching, the roster deletions and additions, the crap season last year, the mixed expectations this year, and the explosion of social media news reporting over the last few years, we haven't gotten much thus far beside canned answer to canned questions.

 

And that is status quo for all camps, around the entire league...every year. You are confusing last year with once the pre-season games started, and huge uproar after the first 3 games. If you say that's not true, and Feigen, Clutch, Watkins, etc were asking the hard questions...give examples. That's what I'm "digging in" about.

I know us fans are just consumers, but I believe we are getting a lot to consume. You don't. I provide examples. You dismiss them with none of your own.

You are just complaining...flat out. Providing nothing to the conversation other than you don't like what people are feeding you.

 

I usually don't respond to inferior posters like you ... so I'll respond by saying your feelings towards me doesn't bother me at all. It sh

Retrospect my ass. I was calling it since preseason and I was getting flamed for it. I even said it on the first page of our debut, "Brace yourselves".

I'm the only person on this whole site thato knows how basketball should operate.