True that my main point. I'm just super frustrated because I can handle losing to the Spurs, I can't handle them possibly squandering a golden opportunity for a WCF appearance because their best player choked when the game and possible series turning win was right there on a silver platter. Just a frustrating game tonight.
Harden does not need to be second fiddle, yes obviously he needs a second star to be his own second fiddle. If you think Kyrie is LeBron's equal, you're delusional. When the King sits the Cavs can barely win a game. Kyrie, like love were empty-stat superstars until Lebron came back.
Remove LeBron from the cavs for a year. . . . . Kyrie and Love ain't getting days off to rest hell they would not be a 50 win team Rocket River
We need a big that is elite on D and can run at the Rockets pace. Can't let teams score at will in the paint. We need to feed Clint some steroids.
True, but you left out a key point too. That team played in a VERY weak eastern conference. Put that team in the west and they likely don't make it to the conference finals that year.
I'm pretty sure Harden could lead these same Rockets to the Finals if he only had to play the 40 win Wizards in the first round, the 40 win Nets in the 2nd round and an over the hill Pistons after Ben Wallace and Larry Brown were gone in the Conference Finals(but..but...but The Pistons were the #1 seed!!1..hahaha a 53 win #1 seed..pathetic). Garbage ass conference. People also never mention that those 07 Cavs were a top ranked defense.
So true. People forget that and i guess that's the point. Championships trump all. If the Mavs built a top defensive and offensive team around Dirk, there's no reason that it can't be done with Harden. D'Antoni won't get us to the Finals ever though. If he couldn't do it with way more talent in Phoenix, he can't do it in Houston while the Warriors exist in this conference and we can't get any other stars to Houston.
Likely? They would have been a 6th seed in the West and lost to the Spurs in the first round BY SWEEP LOL
Sure there is. Dirk was an athletic freak which allowed him to consistently create good looks for himself. Harden isn't an athletic freak, and he hasn't put in the necessary work to compensate (like Curry). We absolutely need a second star, but I can't imagine that any legitimate star would want to come to Houston to defer to Harden and cover for him defensively.
Hell...if you really want to put that team in the west during the regular season and not play garbage 4 times each weak eastern conference team, it's likely they don't even make the playoffs in the west...8 losses is all they would have needed to miss the playoffs...pretty sure playing western teams 4 times each, they would have easily gotten 8 less wins and been out of the playoff race completely.
Still 1st ballot Hall of Famers at a very young age who had all their athleticism, These guys aren't Eric Gordon and Patrick beverly, just saying.
Who cares that they eventually developed into 1st ballot hall of famers? They weren't anywhere near that level in 2003. Right now, Gordon/Beverley were better than 2003 Parker/Ginobili.
Dirk an athletic freak at 32 years old? Majority of that team was well past their athletic prime. Of course we need a second star. That star never comes though. Who knows...maybe Paul George and Harden are boys and it happens...i doubt it...but nothing is impossible More likely we give some crazy amount of money to Paul Millsap who i like but won't take us anywhere.
My point is if Harden handles the ball every time during end of games, we will have the same playoff results all the time. He needs an equal or someone better than him (which is close to impossible) because that seems the only way he will defer to them in close games. Unless he totally changes his attitude and trusts his current teammates more but he needs to set them up better and not go iso or turn the ball over before they even get a shot.
