[CBS Sports] Did the Houston Rockets get better by subtraction this summer?

Such a one sided and biased analysis. When he sucked, everyone sucked so it doesn't matter? And when he did well it is because other players sucked then that's why we lost the game? What about other plays during clutch where he made turnovers or missed the shots?

Typically we call clutch plays, when the scores are close (<=5) and within 5 min left in the game. Here is Harden's playoff stats per game:

0.6/3.6 = 16.7% FG
0/1.2 = 0% 3FG
1.2/1.2 = 100% FT
REB 0.4
AST 0.4
TOV 0.2
PTS 2.4
+2.4
MIN 4.4

Since you brought up Lin, let's look at his:
0.6/1.2 = 50% FG
0/0.4 = 0% 3FG
0.4/0.4 = 100% FT
REB 0.6
AST 0.2
TOV 0.2
PTS 1.6
+3.0
MIN 2.6

Very small sample size, but does give you some idea Harden's clutch performance in the playoff.

Is Harden not clutch at all? Hell no, the guy is so clutch in regular season:

0.9/1.8 = 50% FG
0.3/0.6 = 50% 3FG
1.0/1.3 = 80.6% FT
REB 0.6
AST 0.6
TOV 0.4
PTS 3.1
+2.0
Min 2.8

But in the playoff series, Harden played longer, had double of the shot attempts, and scored less. He was not clutch during that playoff series. Stop defending him like that. He's a big boy, he can take the criticism.

You know who was clutch that series?

1.0/2.0 50% FG
2.6/2.8 92.9% FT!!!
1.8 REB
0.4 TOV
PTS 4.6
+ 1.8
Min 4.3

That's Dwight Howard, dude's FT showed up in clutch time. Harden's shots didn't.

 

Clutchfans won too .

 

How do we replace Lin some ask?

How do we replace 12.5 ppg where he played 28 mpg and was given the driver's seat the majority of his minutes? A whopping 4.1 assists w/ 2.5 TOs per game to go with dem dimes?

It's going to be really hard, cause that puts Lin in the stratosphere of DJ Augustin (3 mil/yr) and Tony Wroten (1 mil/yr) /sarcasm>

Seriously Jeremy Lin last year had incredibly lackluster, mediocre production. Give Canaan or Nick Johnson 28 minutes a game and see how they do to fill the gap. Or consider all of Jeremy's minutes, touches, and $8 million dollars now being re-purposed to upgrading from Casspi to Pap, or more post-up touches for D-Mo, or more minutes for Canaan.

People need to chill and not drink the national media haterade trying to be served on the Rockets. That's my 2 cents. No disrespect to differing opinions.

 

Don't forget, Lin was able to fill in decently when Harden missed time without our offense dropping off too much. Somehow I don't think that'll be the case with our current cadre of bench guards.

 

Personally I think Canaan has a better 3pt shot than Lin and that's all I see at the moment objectively, I hope Canaan can help the rockets this upcoming season but to make the call that he's better now and can easily replace Lin is kind of funny since none of us have seen Canaan play any meaningful "NBA" minutes at all. I am not a fan of Jeremy Lin and have wanted him traded for several years, but I haven't seen anything from Canaan in any NBA game to suggest that he's "currently" better or a major upgrade over Lin. One guys is 6'3 and the others 5'11 and there pretty much scorers and not true PGs from what I've seen.

 

Oh I agree. Dwight was amazing. Honestly I think he just matches up well against Aldridge/Lopez. His numbers were great against them all season.

Also part of it was stepping up his game for the playoffs, which I like.

One-sided and biased? I appreciate your analysis/write-up, but I was literally just reading off the ACTUAL play-by-play from the box scores. Yes Dwight Howard was amazing that series. Should have won us game 6 but whatever.

Harden got to the line late in games, converted, and we were in a position to win all but one of the games, in large part to Harden making plays at the end. Percentages are always lower in the playoffs. The made shots/free throws to put us ahead in crunch time are there. That is a fact. We all know what happened at the end of game 4. It wasn't Harden's fault.

 

No Lin=Win

 

I think we agree. They could've filled the Lin gap by signing a guy like Sessions or they could've done it by committee, which is what they did.

True we haven't seen Canaan play meaningful minutes, but he's done enough to convince Morey to move Brooks and make all the moves to have Canaan run the bench offense.

I'm really really up on these Vipers getting their day in the sun: Canaan and Daniels. Let's not forget:
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Article is spot on.

 

There was an implication Dwight failed his physical at the start of the year, he wasn't as bad as he started with the lakers, but he really wasn't there, then he had that cyst in his foot that was removed, and he was pretty close to Orlando Dwight by the end.

 

Yes, they aren't here anymore and we don't have anyone replacing their play making. The guy you picked is still at "should have".

 

Let's see what you said, shall we?

Yeah, reading box score play by play but adding double amount of words making excuse for him. Read it again yourself?

All I said was Harden wasn't clutch this playoff series as he was during regular season. And I backed up with actual stats, instead of just picking a few good things Harden did and finding excuses for him by blaming on his teammates.

 

I wish you guys would stop talkin about Lin and Parsons so much. They aren't on the team

 

I bet you regret your username, huh...

 

You know who else beat the No. 1 draft pick in summer league?

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How did that turn out?

 

The Rockets need more motion in their offense, to let Harden and Howard pick and choose their spots; instead of forcing them into limited and predictable plays.

 

Ah the good ole summer league.

 

You said Harden didn't make clutch plays period, and I cited actual play-by-play lines which shows otherwise.

I described what happened at the end of the game. Did those plays I cited not happen? Did you watch the games.

Sorry if I'm trying to defend an actual Rocket player, but I'll say it again, did Harden not make key free throws in multiple games to put us in position to win? The answer is no: he did make go-ahead scores, that is a fact.

Your definition of clutch must be different than mine.

 

BTW, another interesting note, if you look at the same stats you posted except change it to <2 min left, then it's:

Harden
FG 0.6/3=20%
FT 2.4/2.6=92.3%
REB 0.4
AST 0.2
TOV 0.2
PTS 3.6

Lin
FG 0.2/1.2=16.7%
FT 0/0=0%
REB 1
AST 0.2
TOV 0.4
PTS 0.4

3.6 PPG in the last two minutes is pretty clear evidence of some clutch plays.

 

Okay, I just checked those stats via nba.com and they're pretty blatantly wrong. Where did you get those stat's from? Your FT stats for Howard are actually Harden's, LOL.