Sharp analysis from Kevin Arnovitz, as usual. http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/52816/christmas-primer-10-questions-for-10-teams Here's what he has to say about the Rockets. Short but sums up the Rockets pretty well: [rquoter] Are the Houston Rockets figuring things out? So this is what it’s like to have a pure playmaker at the top of the floor who can get a shot off against constant pressure anywhere between the rim and 26 feet? How strong has James Harden been in this regard? Of the Rockets’ top eight in minutes played, he’s the only one whose player efficiency rating is above league average, yet the Rockets come into Christmas Day with the league’s seventh-ranked offense. There’s little magic to the Rockets’ offensive formula. The priorities, in descending order, are as follows: (1), (2), (3) transition; (4) quick-hitters for Harden if he can find a modicum of space off a drag screen, or for others if Harden can leverage the attention of the defense; (5) a more deliberate high pick-and-roll for Jeremy Lin (and by deliberate we mean with 15 seconds on the shot clock rather than 19); (6) fast, easy ways to free up shooters -- flare screens courtesy of Omer Asik, or pin-downs set by little guys for big guys who can shoot. Next item on the agenda: Protecting the basket area and picking up shooters early -- two hazards of playing at a breakneck pace the Rockets haven’t yet figured out. [/rquoter] And I'll agree with Arnovitz in referring to Harden as a pure "playmaker" for our team.
