http://espn.go.com/espnradio/grantland/player?id=11972391 http://grantland.com/podcasts/grantland-sports/ Zach Lowe's latest podcast focuses on Memphis and Golden State. He did, however, discuss the Rockets with Ethan Sherwood Strauss during their Warriors conversation. The Rockets part starts at about the 1:06 mark. The topic came up when Lowe asks which team Strauss thinks GS doesn't want to face in the playoffs. Strauss mentioned the Spurs, but added that the Rockets gave GS trouble last year because Dwight is mobile enough to help out on the perimeter and Beverley is the type of defenders (along with Avery Bradley) to give Curry problems. They think that HOU isn't being talked about enough and suspect this is because either guys don't know what to think of them or guys don't like them. Lowe says the dislike is partly due to Morey, partly due to Dwight (and Dwightmare) and partly due to Harden. Lowe says he doesn't enjoy watching Harden draw fouls but likes other parts of his game (passing, stepback 3, Eurostep, etc.). They also mentioned that HOU is a dangerous playoff team because they can just bomb you out of series if they get hot with 3s and the Western playoffs teams are all pretty dangerous, which makes the playoffs treacherous for everybody.
I can understand why people say watching Harden is ugly basketball. When I see James take it strong to the hole and draw fouls, that is enjoyable for me because it puts points on the board and puts fouls on the opponents. Durant does the same thing, Iverson did the same thing, Kobe, Wade in his prime, etc. You Play. To Win. The Game. Strategy over aesthetics, every time.
Its a good podcast if you are interested in currently the two best teams in the league record wise. This is 98% about those teams. Only mention of Rockets here was when they were trying to find teams that could be threats to GS in the playoffs. Not really a glowing endorsement of the team, and not really a huge put-down. Just simply two guys who are paid to watch NBA basketball say... I don't really like watching the Rockets therefore I really don't know what to make of them. This is really something we shouldn't really be shocked, or that heavily interested in. However its is interesting to see that two teams who have had less top-end talent, have managed to build the depth and CONTINUITY over time to be legitimate contenders. If there is anything to take from this as Rockets fans, its very promising that when this Rockets teams gets better supporting players either by keeping the team together & growing this young supporting cast or getting better veterans AND KEEPING THEM TOGETHER for years at a time... great things are ahead for the Rockets because IMO, the top level talent is there in comparison to these two teams.
Golden State should be afraid of us. If the switch-off game from the pick and roll stays tight, they can't make passes for easy buckets when Dwight is prowling the lane and they get too far into the shot clock and have to settle for contested jumpers. Meanwhile on the other side, they have nobody who can effectively handle the penetration which leads to open threes.
I can bet you that Steve Kerr is going to tell Bogut to try and get Dwight in foul trouble by any means possible to get him out of the game.
Funny thing is, Harden actually isn't taking it to the hole that much this season in comparison to other years. Just more evidence that the national guys really aren't watching that much Rockets ball and their opinions at this junction really shouldn't be taken that seriously. All of which shouldn't really be that surprising. These guys are going to be focused on what is headline grabbing material. They have to get page clicks & Twitter mentions on a national level as much as possible. They can't watch every single game of the season and post-season. There isn't enough time to do so. Listen to JVG talk about the Rockets (Rocketscast from yesterday) vs. one of these bloggers and its night and day on how much they understand the Rockets and how their opinions are completely different based on actually spending time to watch the team. I think later in the season, with more exposure the narratives will finally change if this team continues to play the way they are now. Its just going to take time for the national guys to actually watch the Rockets play enough to have a valid opinion (which we still should take with a grain of salt).
Golden State doesnt scare me...honestly think the Rockets could beat them in a 7 game series. Also they've had a pretty easy schedule so far so their record isn't even that impressive. Bulls will beat them Saturday
The "don't like watching the rockets" crap is getting tired. As a basketball analyst, how can a complete dismantling of Memphis while missing 3/5s of our starting lineup not pique your interest just a bit?
Saying you hate to watch someone get fouled is funny to me. You either hate the way the game is officiated/rules of NBA basketball or you hate watching the players doing the fouling. You cant hate the guy getting fouled, by definition it's not the players' fault or problem.
The Rockets are starting to remind me of the Miami Heat defensively. I always felt that an elite defense required guys 1-4 that could interchange and stay in front of there guys. The Rockets have been switching PNR after PNR this year and defending effectively. It really is something that is going to cause teams like GSW trouble that feast on PNR.
Houston's three-point shooting may make them "dangerous" as a 5-8 seed, but as a 1-4 seed, people could look at them as "vulnerable" for the same reason. It's all based on expectations. You never know what you're going to get when you rely on outside bombers.
Agreed, especially when the team is only shooting a pedestrian 35% from 3 and ranked 20th overall in offensive efficiency. Despite a nice win over the Grizz, I am sure Morey knows the team needs more to be a real contender.
The real X factor to me is Papanikolaou's ability to generate offense off the slash, and D-Mo's continued excellence on the post-up. Those 2 options add an element that gives a perceived one-dimensional offense a couple of well-needed wrinkles.
That would be ok if the playing field was the same throughout the RS and the playoffs, but we all know how the reffs swallow their whistles and Harden struggles. Harden is a great offensive player , but when he doesn't get the calls, maybe out of frustration or w.e he looks significantly worse and shoots at an abysmal clip.
Right now we seem set to have a 60 win season, and we barely have the 5th best record in the league with Dallas, San Antonio and LA breathing on our neck, only one east team (Raptors) are in the top 8 right now. The west is a different type of best this year.
Righto. I can confidently say that I don't like the way the NBA is officiated, and haven't for 10+ years. I would be upset with calls that Harden gets if I were the opponent, but I feel the same way about Ginobili/Paul/Wade/Nowitski, etc. This isn't something Harden invented. I think what some pundits don't understand is how Harden does it with sheer craftiness, that induces guys to reach-in rather than rip-through moves (Durant) or diving into the lane like a derailed train (Wade), or circus theatrics (Paul). All different ways of playing the system.
Without listening... Lowe: Rockets are boring & James Harden is floppy bird ESS: Harden stinks, plays no defense, Steph Curry and da Warreorz r da bomb! AMIRITE?
Can Papa be a North-South player? Obviously not off the dribble, but he's savvy enough to make it work
