[Chron] Rockets Countdown: A Look at the Shooting Guards

If Harden can learn how to play some defense, we will be stellar this year

Really need him to step it up as he was getting lit up last year. Harden would go off for 25 and the scrub he guards would get 8 points above their average

 

Harden knows how to play defense, if you've watched him with OKC.

We just need better back-ups for Harden so he won't have to play 40 minutes a game.

 

how many percent of the total games the rockets played did this happen?

 

The series really shows that dividing players among the traditional 5 position is kind of silly. As Feigen notes, guys classified as SF or PGs like Francisco Garcia and Jeremy Lin could easily get most of the "backup SG" minutes. The two non-Harden SGs listed here may not even make the roster cut.

 

As much as Harden gets coined with having an "old-man-type" of game, it was clearly obvious at the end of last year, that this is a player whose effectiveness at getting in the lane, and finishing at the rim are much more relied on physical ability than one would think. Anyone that watched the Rockets regularly would be able to tell you that Harden's game did suffer after multiple ankle injuries, and a long tiring season of having to carry a large role offensively for this team.

Harden's core strength is telling in his ability to almost always keep balance when finishing in traffic. It was just amazing watching Mack truck NBA big men crash into him at the rim, and him still have the core strength to stay on his feet, and often still make the And-One shot.

I believe the Rockets really need Harden to be physically fresh going into April and May if they want to truly have the ability to compete for a title.

Because of this, someone is going to need to step up off the bench to provide a go-to perimeter scoring punch. Dont forget that the Rockets also lost their go-to offensive spark off the bench in Delfino. As much as Garcia looks like Delfino on paper, him, Casspi, and Williams aren't going to be able to provide a spark off the bench without another player creating offense for them.

McHale can only stagger the minutes of Parsons, Lin, and Harden so much. They need someone else that can consistently be in the mix for a 10 to 15 point scoring night.

Not mentioned in the SG section is Aaron Brooks who I wouldn't be surprised if he gets minutes during the season (given he makes the final roster cut) as a scoring guard option off the bench. Back in 2009 the Rockets best offensive lineups were that when Brooks played alongside Lowry. Take away the burden of having to run the offense, and Brooks can be a scoring threat at the off guard position... or at least he was in the past.

Lets hope, for Hardens sake that Brooks or someone else we dont already suspect can take a major step up in their playmaking ability this year.

 

Its a little different with post players. Harden will have Howard and Asik behind him on defense at all times.... Dirk was the backbone of the defense.

Also, Harden's defensive lapses didn't have anything to do with a lack of strength, quickness, or athleticism at his position. He's not like Kevin Martin or Steve Nash where they are clearly out matched physically to the point of where it leads to that much of a disadvantage.

It was clearly effort at that end of the court which was derived from fatigue, and young all-star mentality that other great guards have displayed in the past.

Go back and watch tape of Kobe in the years between Shaq and Gasol/Bynum. Just like Kobe, Harden is certainly able to turn on the defense when he wants to... but he just needs to step up his maturity, and effort on that end of the court to be regarded as a two way superstar.

 

You need to post a LINK when you do threads like this....just saying.

 

Here's the link: http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterockets/2013/09/rockets-countdown-a-look-at-the-shooting-guards/

 

These articles are pointless. Feigen and new girl, is this literally ALL you have to offer?? Youtwo are repeating yourselves within your own article and It's COMPLETELY uninformative. I would expect this kind of journalism for a high school newspaper on the basketball team not out of paid "journalists". Pathetic.

Feigen, you are better than this. Write like you give a $hit and help this girl out. She might as well say the sky is blue, the trees are green and air is necessary to breathe.

Let me write one for you:

James Harden is a 6-5 Shooting Guard who scored (let me look at end of year stats) 25.6 pts per game last season. He is really good. He played for Oklahoma City the year before.
Harden, who used to play for the Oklahoma City Thunder came to the Rockets last year and averaged 25.6 points per game. That is one of the highest scoring players in the league, and he is 6-5.

The End.

Fail!

 

25.9 whatever. Yall get the point.

 

Agree on the complete lack of quality in these articles.

 

I wish the Chronicle had Jason Friedman. Feigan needs to step up his game. We're hoping for a great year from the Rockets. How about some great writing, Chronicle?

 

Feigan can be pretty awesome on twitter, though. When he gets snarky, anyway.