Yep. Everyone does, not just Harden and EGO ball hogging and taking 27 threes, especially when they aren't hot. Spread that ball around more!!
Believe it or not, I'm more optimistic when I realized its just that shots arent falling, but we'll see what happens going forward.
They need to spend a week just shooting free throws and doing layup drills. They'd have three more wins if they made the easiest shots.
I do think they are closer to turning it around than many think. If they weren't shooting so awfully right now the conversation would be a lot different. I mean they are all shooting career worsts at the same time. That will turn around at some point. And when it does, the offense will pick up... which in turn will also help the defense (which has actually been good lately).
I know, ask this after we play the Warriors and compare how we played them then to now. See if you think we regressed, or are making progress. I do like what I am seeing in our rookies though. Carter and Hartenstein are promising new players who will only get better with experience. Hopefully we don't trade them off like we do most of our young guys for aging, injury prone, and slower players.
This is the oldest, most experienced team in the league and 4 of the starters that took the Warriors to 7 are still here + Eric Gordon + same coach + attempting to run the exact same offense and defense. The game you're taking positives from is against a Spurs team with a brand new best player, multiple injuries and multiple changes to the core roster. It doesn't take summer workouts, summer team camp, training camp, preseason and 15 games to get the most experienced team in the league to this level of production. We lost to OKC on their second night of a back to back (and it was also their 3rd game in 4 nights) without Westbrook and Roberson. When you look at it in context, the rate of improvement is a warning sign rather than a positive. Of course they will be better later than they are now. But at this pace, the distance they need to go in improvement is too far to cover.
Progress is measured in wins and losses, not quality points. The Rockets are losing, so, no they are not progressing.
Great thread, OP. The main thing I thought about last night's game was that our guys gave a remarkable performance given the incredible shooting problems. It was like they couldn't score so they were doing everything in their power to win without scoring. Given the almost unprecedented, team-wide shooting slump, our guys stayed in an impossible game with will, grit, guts, and determination. Any lesser squad would have given in. And past Rockets squads have given in when faced with a team-wide, games-long, shooting slump. This team has too much pride and too much will to quit, even when it feels like nothing is working. Happily, the nature of slumps is that they're temporary; our shooters didn't forget how to shoot forever. If they can continue to play with that kind of intensity, making all the hustle plays like they did last night, and shoot a decent percentage, Rockets are going to be just fine. Also: Gary Clark! Also: Eric Gordon! And nobody can say James Harden sleeps on defense anymore. That's over. There was a lot to like and respect about our team's performance last night. As rocky as this season has been so far, I was really encouraged by last night's game. We make our layups and our free throws and our open threes (all of which we typically do) and it's a blowout for the Rockets. They had no business making last night competitive when they couldn't hit the side of a barn.
I still believe in this team I think they were just complacent and had a bad summer. Esp. Cp3, dude has been total trash which is uncharacteristic of him since he has been the picture of excellence the past decade or so. They will work it out as soon as they get in game shape.
