Key to win NBA title: Harden & Howard chemistry and camaraderie

High post Harden - DMo Pick n Pop with Howard in the low block waiting for the oop if they cut off Harden's drive and shooters on either side in Ariza and Bev / Lawson.

I do not totally agree with Shaq but he has a decent breakdown and Dwight should be able to get 20 points a game. Forget the 28. At least 4-5 alley oop chances. Like the way Smith fed Howard in that post season game. No center in the league can keep up with him athletically.

 

Good thread.

Dwight will only stay if he feels that this is his team along with Harden's.


Come playoff time, we all knows who's team it really is. We don't win jack without Dwight.

 

It's Harden's team and Dwight has said he will sacrifice his game for the team. Still I saw too little pick and roll and too much demanding of the ball. Dwight needs to get with the programme or leave.

 

I am not a fan of DeMarcus Cousins. However, considering Howard's gimpy knees, I would not be opposed to a straight-up trade ... Howard for Cousins.

The Kings are unhappy with Cousins and Howard is going to be a contract nightmare. Howard thinks he is as effective as he ever was ... and he would give the Kings a valuable center ... so he will either overpay him or lose a valuable piece without getting value in return if we don't make the trade.

 

It really all depends.on how much Dwight is willing to do offensively. Feeding him in the post, just isn't his game. Although, taking advantage of mismatches in the post should be done but not "feeding" him in the post. Harden and Lawson are elite PNR players and Howard needs to adjust his game to take advantage of those opportunities.

 

If getting him more involved in the offense means more pnr sets than absolutely yes, dwight in the pnr is nearly unstoppable. If you mean feeding him in the post absolutely not. Dwight in the post is a train wreck and often the same thing as a turnover.

 

Dwight finishing as a result of the PnR shot 79%.

Dwight in post opportunities had 37% of those possessions end in a turnover and shot 38% on shots that were not "dunks".

Couple those figures with his poor FT shooting .... and its clear he shouldn't be posting up (unless he has a clear advantage). Howard started to realize this after a conversation with HOFer Elvin Hayes towards the end of the season when we saw those post ups decline.

 

I think Dwight is coming around on post ups as they became less and less frequent as the season went on. But you have to remember the ego on some of these guys. This is where I feel McHale earns his stripes. Managing a guy like dwight and getting the message across without him pouting.

And I agree whole heartedly about it becoming Dwights team in the playoffs. Dude went to another level, especially against GState. We just need Harden to reach that next level as well. And with less of a burden this coming year, I think he'll perform better.

 

One thing I just remembered from last season that I never understood.

When the team huddles up, Harden goes to the bench. Anybody know why this happens? Honestly it doesn't look/seem like a good thing.

 

huddles
we talkin bout huddles

 

We aren't winning the title until we trade Howard or he accepts the fact his post game is not what he thinks it is

 

Come on man, the Kings wouldn't want Howard. The Kings could do a lot better than Dwight Howard.

 

Was probably hard for Harden to pass to the post with two or sometimes three people's hands on his forearms.

Ty should help get both of them the ball in better spots.

 

Too much is made of this. In the playoffs last season we rarely saw Howard in the post. I think he's accepted this already.

Howard deep in the post is lethal. We should still look for him if he gets deep position.

 

You would think with Morey's use of analytics, he would HIGHLY URGE Mchale to stop feeding Dwight in the paint and run considerably more PnRs.

 

Dwight is gonna have more opportunity's with Lawson/ more chemistry this season , Howard is gonna surprise people this season I see him getting 20/12/2 , I also feel like Howard knows this is gonna be his best chance to win with this roster now barring no injuries to him or any other players

 

It's picking on too small a sample size. Harden to a rolling Howard on the PnR was a common occurrence against the Mavs and really any scrub team in the NBA. Great teams learn to take away your #1 option, which is why we saw less of it as the playoffs moved on.

 

Free throws

 

I agree harden and Howard need to work better together. Maybe with Ty we'll see better team work between the three of them. Honestly though I don't understand the rumors of Harden an Howard not getting along. Howard seems like a fun guy and Harden seems like he wants to win. Nothing brings people together more than having the same goals. Is Howard giving off the impression that he's not about winning? And/or does Harden seems self centered?

These two, now three need some sense slapped into them...... Terry or Hayes??? Getter done.