ClutchFans Game Thread: Celtics @ Rockets 2/11/2020

I didnt mean that as a shot at you bro, my apologies. I just think that weve seen Harden not get calls before and he still played well. What weve seen this month is just something ive never seen from him. Like that Atlanta game he got plenty of calls but we all knew he was terrible that game.

 

Fact check your posts my dude.

Harden is shooting 65% at the rim this year. For his career he is about 63% at the rim.

His free throw rate is the highest in 3 years.

He is getting blocked only about 0.3 times more per game this year vs the rest of his career.

 

Sure doesn't seem that way watching. Guess my eye test is off. I just see a lot of arms flailing.

 

we're a buzzer beater away from being 3-0 against the lakers, jazz, and celtics... and people are still upset???

 

Last night, even a Giannis-led team (not All-Star) could not beat the Rockets. We were going to the FT line at-will and most importantly, we desired to win. We saw a vintage Harden killing them on the FT line and everywhere else. That was a Boston Mass..... w

 

Confirmation bias is a real thing.

 

Yep, just like the "He's playing injured" and tired legs excuses. Fact check those.

 

Need refs calls and 3 pointers to win championship.

 

He now understands it's his most efficient offensive option to maximize team success.

 

Umm.... ok

https://www.nba.com/article/2019/12/29/houston-rockets-james-harden-questionable-toe-injury

https://www.nba.com/article/2020/01/26/james-harden-houston-rockets-out-thigh

 

You realize you just further proved his point about confirmation bias, right? You're willing to disregard valid arguments as false simply because of your "eye test". Harden has been playing banged up, and his usage has always been high under MDA. Maybe he should scale back on taking the volume 3's on nights when it's clear he doesn't have it, but saying he's tired and injured certainly isn't a made-up excuse.

 

You really need to let your Harden bias stop coloring your posts. If you fact checked you would know that Harden sprained his foot vs. Nets 12/29/19 which was severe to cause him to miss a game, which he never does.

Then he received a severe thigh bruise vs. Denver 2 weeks ago again making him miss game.

Leg injuries are a real thing.

We know you love Russ but to constantly degrade Harden to lift up Russ does nothing to help our team be successful.

It is divisive and both Russ and Harden are fighting hard against internal and external forces to maintain solidarity. Do not be part of the hate coming from media and "fans" alike trying to keep these 2 players down and minimizing their achievements.

Like Russ said, Harden has been so consistently amazing that media and fans have normalized the crazy numbers and efficiencies he puts and their expectations have become unreasonable and ridiculous.

It's okay to enjoy one over the other. But why not appreciate both.

 

Why are you so salty after a big win?

 

You really hate Harden don't you?

He has not been arguing with officials nearly as much as he used to.

Since the trade Harden has been very active on defense.

 

Because you hate Harden.

 

Somewhat unrelated: Assists is no longer a useful stat anymore than FG% is. We should be looking at an effective Assist stat, which award 1.5 assists for a 3 pointer.

This is also why threads like @DaDakota are for previous eras. If we award Harden 1.5 assists for a 3, are his assists really going down vs pre-trade.

Anyhoot, who cares, it’s the Wins that matter, and if Harden is doubled, pass to Westbrook who drives and there are no assists, but it’s a great attack strategy for Wins...and both Harden and WB designed this attack, so are fully behind it.

 

If you read my post game post I gave nothing but praise to both James and Russ. I have praised James many times on good games. My retort stemmed from all the people who continually make excuses for James on bad shooting spurts, yet do the opposite with Russ, even when he has good nights, or his fingers taped up from injury. As for the tired legs one, sorry, I just thought it seemed lame for a guy who rarely runs or really hustle back across court in a game.

 

I wasn't. If you read my post right after the game you would see that. Those comments came from something else.

 

I don't hate him. I know he is a great player, and he that he is one of only 2 real stars on our team. Without him, we have no hope.bI just never did enjoy his slow ball iso dribble. That's just a preference.

 

Nah we good, didn’t take it that way I was implying that I do personally think when Harden can get it going by getting fouls called in his favor it fires his whole offensive game up ie he seems to dial in a lot quicker/easier. That Atlanta game wasn’t so weird he was on fire early then fell off the edge of the Earth and stayed there for entirely tooooo long lol. Hoping he is back (still don’t love the way he deals with/attacks the double teams though) full force after the ASG