[ClutchFans] An NBA Nightmare: The James Harden-Dwight Howard Pick-and-Roll

Harden was terrible in OKC playoffs, you know that, right? If OKC didn't want him to be the superstar, he could not be. That's why he was only the 6th man. Superstar can be created based on players's talents and team's plan. How many times Mchale asked him to do isos and stayed in the garbage time just to get more points when Rockets won big while other starters were asked to sit on the bench. You'll not be that naive to know what it means. Rockets try every means to make Harden's stats like a superstar even if he didn't play good sometimes.If Lin, Asik, Parsons still stayed, they would have got much higher points too. Lebrown James is the real superstar to that means.

 

Almost bested the earlier post, but not quite. Keep trying, you will get it.

 

It is laughable that you forget the countless time that Harden drives to the basket and does his Euro step only to get stripped resulting in a turn over. Harden is a good shooter but his Euro step's efficiency depends on the official. Against better teams like Miami and OKC where the official are less likely to call fouls or the play is defended better, this strategy will not work. Those team lock down on the PnR and will make you live or die by the 3.

Against the Pelicans, it really doesn't matter who plays the PnR, heck, even the bench alone can probably will. But to get over the hump against the top teams, you need everyone to play to their combined strength.

 

Are you joking honestly? Just playing stupid, right?

 

The answer to your question is that it's all relative. You can say that Lin and Harden are good at PnR, and that Harden is good at outside shooting, but what you can't say is how good or bad each person is at each skill.

Maybe you underestimate how good Lin is at shooting threes? He could do a lot better this year. And you certainly underestimate how good Harden is at the PnR. Please look at their TS% from the year before either was on the Rockets. James Harden is in the stratosphere, and there's a reason for that. Right when we acquired him there was a lot of debate on Clutchfans as to just how high his ceiling was. The naysayers (like Stephen A Smith) were saying that he was a guy who cut his teeth against other teams' backups and would see all his efficiencies go down significantly when thrust into the centerpiece role.

Some Clutchfans (not me I might add, I was on the fence until we started playing games) aptly showed that James was in the top 3 in the NBA on the pick-n-roll. What makes him SO dangerous is his true triple threat ability. If Lin wants to get to the level of Harden in terms of how defenses respect his PnR ability, then he's going to HAVE to develop that outside shot. You as a Lin fan must realize this and root for it to happen, whether he ends up as a Rocket or a player on any other team.

What you saw in the end of Linsanity was not all injury, or Carmelo's fault, as you may think. It was a manifestation of the rest of the league getting a good scouting report on his strengths and weaknesses and forcing him into situations with which he was unfamiliar. He came into the league on fire with his shot, and when that went away then he became exposed a bit.

I'm sure Jeremy knows what he needs to work on to maximize his longevity in the NBA. And I'm SURE that Morey and our front office have crunched the numbers and decided that, when both Harden and Lin are on the court, that we are a more dangerous team with Harden running the PnR more often than any other set play in the half court. As the brilliant article noted, we only run Harden's PnR 25% of the time in the halfcourt anyways though--and there's always the time when Lin will be out there without Harden--so there will be plenty of opportunity for Lin to play with our shiny new toy Dwight Howard.

Please dial it down in calling Lin the best PnR player in the NBA though. Blatant lies like that just damage your argument (think about it, besides Harden there's Chris Paul, Steph Curry, Derrick Rose, Kyrie Irving, we could go on). I'm half Asian and can tell you that the VAST MAJORITY of Rockets fans here on Clutchfans don't have an inherent bias against Jeremy or people of Asian descent. We just want to see our team hoist up that championship.

 

The numbers dont lie. Harden is far better driving to the basket than Lin is. And Lin, don't get me wrong, is very good. It's great to have two guys who can do it. But Harden is just that much better.

Lin has to develop his outside shot. It's the only way he's going to fit into the offense. He knows it, and it looks like he's taken it to heart and that's what he is focusing on this off season...so hopefully we will see a big lift.

Now, if only Lin fans could also buy into that.

 

Geez, you completely missed my point again. Nevermind...

 

There was no point to begin with. Quit making it out to be that your reasoning is any way shape or form valid or arguable because it isn't.

Put them both on any team in the league and you will get the same result. Run through Harden. Why you ask? Well, it is obvious but you keep those blinders on.

 

Like I said. Jump off a bridge and land on something sharp. Preferably through the temple. It will do the community and yourself good.

And remind me of Jame's stats during the playoffs v. Lin just for giggles...I'll wait. And I will probably wait for a few months just for you try to come up with something but you can't. And it's LeBron, pick a higher bridge this time.

And don't be mad that even with Parsons much smaller role, he is already our 3rd best player behind Howard/Harden. Salty

 

No you just miss everyone elses. If Lin can hit the 3 at 40%, Harden will slice up Defenses even more, especially with Howard keeping another big away from Harden.

Look, it's not an easy sport. The offenses are complex and run at high speed. But you have to know that what you are saying just reveals a lack of understanding.

 

Dude, really? You talk like that to other people?

 

Would a bungee cord be better?

 

I already mentioned that assuming that Lin was hitting 3 pts at pre ASG level last year. If he is able to hit 3pts at Harden's level or better, than there wouldn't be a point to have him at PnR and Harden at the 3 pt line would there?

 

Getting there.

 

Well everyone has moments of passion (or in this case, dispassion), and that can be understood. A little more defensible than something completely illogical, like say, being against the Harden trade or something of that nature

 

Some said they were against the Harden trade? People actually talk to others like that?

 

No skin off my back, but my advice to you would be to edit your post & clean it up...before the mods see it.

 

Don't say things like that.

 

You are not considering TS%. Lin needs to hit at 40% from 3's to spread the D away from Harden. That's how good Harden is.

 

Can't edit. Wouldn't mind more mods though, getting eerie similar to ISH.