[ClutchFans] Podcast: What in the world is wrong with the Houston Rockets?

You can continue with all the remarks you want. Until Harden decides to be a two way player he isn't winning a title any time soon or Atleast hold himself accountable defensively. Doesn't matter if you need some kind of metric to validate that. That's on you if so.

 

So what's this difference in design? Is it the same as Houston's when harden always guards the worst perimeter player yet still shows the lack thereof. Funny how you can surround him with Beverley, ariza, and Howard yet poor results still occur particularly individually. The key here is at the very least being respectable which a lot of people don't understand here. That's what puts harden in a category of his own as one way player and as the supposedly "MVP" and "best player in the world", that's pretty unacceptable to me. People want to just accept that's the player he is when in reality it limits talent that can fit around him

 

What's ironic is that, if you really don't want to win a title...

Have a best player who is defense-only.

 

• Dallas won with Dirk Nowitzki as their best player as a one-way player
• GSW won with Curry as a one-way player
• Rockets got to the WCF with Harden as a one-way player

This proves you can do it with design. You can create team defense around them. But you're right, and we all agree with you, Harden's defensive attitude and effort so far this year has regressed to a level that cannot win. But he can play defense as well as Curry and Nowitzki. We saw it last year, and we saw it in the 2012 OKC playoffs. It's just about effort for him.

 

Let me make it simple.

Problems:

1. Defense. There wasn't enough effort. It's coming back in the last 3 games. But is it Morey's idea to give up mid-range defense? All your conclusion about 3-pointer-better-than-2-pointer are based upon regular defense. Now if you give up your mid-range defense, opponents are going to kill you with twos because your defense is skewed.

2. Ball protection/Turnovers. Remember when McHale famously said "stagnant"? And Steve Kerr said that stats say turnovers happens when there are two or less passes. Pass the damn ball and dribble less. Slow down and play sets if fast break chance is gone.

3. Shooting. Get open shots. If a layup is not available, please try to get an open shot.

 

Hit the wrong keys before I finished the last point.

Let me cap these two sentences:

I DON'T CARE IF IT'S A THREE OR TWO, PLEASE JUST TRY TO GET OPEN SHOTS. NO CONTESTED SHOTS UNLESS ITS A LAYUP OR LAST SECONDS OF CLOCK.

 

Expect some firing between now and Sunday.

 

Ok... or Morey hire a real coach who can fix this now, or he has to go!

 

This is one of the biggest collapses of an NBA team you'll ever see. So many of us are searching for explanations, but there really are none. It's just unfathomable.

 

This is what could have happened last year had DMo been out instead of Jones for most of the season.

 

Seriously...DMo's post play saved this team for stretches last season.

 

50-50 chance this happens to the Clips this year or next.

 

They need to run Dwight posting up in practice and for him to practice reacting to the double team. The coach needs to encourage ball movement, run some pick and roll, back cuts to the basket and get more penetration.
Lawson is being asked to play as a two guard and that is not his game. Harden played with Westbrook and Lin, I believe he can play with Lawson. Lawson needs to be more aggressive. In Denver guys were always moving of the ball, like cutting to the basket and Lawson would find them.
The Rockets players just stand on the perimeter, with guys standing around the defense knows where the pass is going, hence turnovers.
The mid range two's are more likely to get you to the free throw line than the 3 point shot, so shooting 33% from 3's being equivalent to 50% from two's does not take into account getting fouled. Rockets should still shoot 3's when open and alley oops to Howard when their big rotates.

 

I suppose you'd find it just as unexplainable to see a home sunk in mud...

That's what the Rockets foundation was... mud... It was only a matter of time before the whole thing collapsed onto itself...

 

It is quite dumbfounding. But it definitely reflects on Howard and Harden.

 

Harden is not the biggest problem. Dwight and others are not contributing anything. At least Harden is dropping buckets what the hell has anyone else done.. nothing.

 

The Rockets are not this bad.
They are up to something.

 

Jeremy Lin curse. LOL

jk, more like Khloe Kardashian...

 

Some one way players are more two way than others (NBA Animal Farm)

 

What do they have to gain from this