[Grantland] The Inadequate Villain: James Harden Is Ruining the Playoffs

The expectation or hope of Harden playing mad bc of ticky-tacky irrelevancies has been blown way out of proportion. You don't have to play mad to play well. In fact, playing mad might even thwart your focus and hinder your effectiveness. No one cares if Harden plays mad or happy so long as he, and the team, produce.

Yes, he needs to step up his game--the entire team does--but playing 'mad' is not necessary and end-all-be-all way to do that. I do recall McHale having emphasized playing happy as a way to maximize one's play. I think that approach makes sense. The more you get caught up in emotions and the side acts, the less you're focusing on the real task at hand. Hell, you can say MJ and Kobe played mad, which is debatable, but who did they have at the helm? The zen master himself.

 

Harden mental stability isnt consistent to expect anything for the rest of the playoffs

The sooner we outta this disaster the better

 

See I simply don't understand this "Woe is me! EVERYBODY hates us (Rockets)" mindset because like the guy says in that Grantland article: a team has to be great (translation: WIN championships) in order for others to truly hate them. And in case you've been on a prolonged deep sleep since 1995, the Rockets have basically been somewhat of an NBA afterthought as far as NBA playoffs and championships go. As for what's now happening against LAC, I stick by my original analysis where I stated that I never saw a team do well in the playoffs that employed the style of basketball that the Rockets were playing this season. In some respects, this team reminded me of those old Don Nelson teams who were offensive juggernauts but withered badly in the playoffs against tougher defensive minded teams. And fact is that the Clippers were a bad draw for the Rox - especially after the fantastic series they had against the Spurs. That series caused them to raise their game to a higher level (which is something that DIDN'T happen with the Rox against the Mavericks).

However, I feel that all of this vitriol being directed at Harden is misdirected and totally unwarranted because it should be directed instead at Morey & McHale. Morey for botching the Parsons' situation and failing to improve the PG position. McHale for running Harden into the ground by forcing him to play two positions along with his questionable coaching strategies (hack-a-Jordan, no accounting for Blake Griffin, etc.). Folks are pointing fingers at Harden because he isn't scoring 30+ points and getting the calls from the refs like he did during the regular season. Fact is the refs always back off during the playoffs and let the players go at each other more physically. Plus, he is going against a team with an experienced star PG playing on a team that has been able to prepare and execute a defensive strategy against him that the Houston coaching staff hasn't been able to answer. Harden looks so lost out there because LAC has taken his game away while at the same time the rest of his team is stranded on that island with the rest of the cast of Lost. Oh well, game 5 is tonight and we'll see how (if) they respond to that Sunday night debacle.

 

Ehm..what means Hamburglar?

Anyway, this guy doesn't represent the Harden haters. Most of them are glowing with glee and saw their chance to pile on James.

Exactly. What's there to like ? They are the more hateful team in the league.
Stupid ads, stupid gimmicks
Flops, dirty cheap fouls
Spitting on the court, badmouthing fans and players' family
Whining all the time and playing the victim.
Fanbase of 99.9% bandwagoners Lakers fans.

The only thing that is sympathetic about this team is the owner who is goofy.
Meanwhile the Rockets aren't dirty and floppers. They don't spend their time complaining. If Harden was smh in that Clippers team and the roles were reversed we would see in the post game interview comments about how the refs are favouring the Clippers and about how Barnes crossed the line and should be suspended.

 

A lot of people (neutral fans) don't like the Rockets. It isn't clutchfans persecution paranoia. They don't like them because of a multitude of factors that doesn't have to do with jealousy of success.
The national media also don't respect them- but the national media only respect Lebron's teams and the big markets' team.

 

So far, this series is the worst performance by the rockets players in the Rockets playoff history according to radio 790. Those guys made something in the history book.

 

shea is a Spurs fans too. Hands down best thing he's ever written

 

this might be the article that brings them back?!!!

 

We all know he is capable of exploding for 40+ points on any given night. Hopefully if we win tonight that is on Thursday.

 

I'll tell you where the passiveness comes from. It comes from our team's inability to hit ANY open shots in transition. It comes from our coach's decision to hack DeAndre Jordan for the entirety of game 4, which allowed the Clippers to get back into their half-court defensive sets. When Harden is coming downhill, while opposing defenses are scrambling trying to stay with our 3-point shooters, that's when the Rockets are at their best. The biggest problem here is that the Clippers are significantly better at our own game than we are, and they have players that can impose their will on our role players. Harden's not being passive. He's being forced into situations where he has to pass the ball to guys who are playing like complete and utter horse****.

However, with all that being said, there's no excuse for Harden to come away with only 12 shots in the last game. That's completely unacceptable, and that alone tells me how DISENGAGED McHale was that he didn't pull James aside, and tell him to force the issue. Tonight, Harden has to have a minimum of TWICE that many shots. You go down swinging, if you're going to go down at all.

 

If Harden doesn't take 25+ shots in G5, I wouldn't know what to say.

 

and if he doenst tell Matt Barnes to suck his **** then why even show up you know? I want that with this team. Fight.

 

Boy I wish we had a Vernon Maxwell on our team right now..man oh man oh man

 

I don't know. Most Harden haters I know are very happy now. I'm a certified Kobe hater. I definitely enjoyed watching Kobe making a fool of himself and watching the Lakers implode this past season.

Over three and a half decades of fandom, I have not seen a Rockets team hated so much by so many people. Those of you who live in Houston probably have not met a lot of Rockets haters. Those of us living outside, we know how most people think about us.

I guess there are many factors. Morey is generally hated because of his smug high profile persona on the social media. Howard has been hated since his Dwightmare antics getting out of Orlando. LA fans especially hate him with a passion given how he worked out for them.

Harden is probably one of the least likeable MVP candidates in recent years by most non-Rockets fans. His game is not pretty for the casual fan. A lot of people think his game is one big flopping act (which we know is not true).

Ironically, McHale is probably one of the more liked characters on this team outside of the Rockets circle.

So Morey, Howard, and Harden -- the big three.

 

We are hated. Because our offense is gimicky, because HArden is a flopper, because Howard is soft. It's not the easiest team to love. I am used to guys like Hakeem who set a really beautiful tone for the team and the city of Houston. I miss that. I miss the combo of hunger and humility.

Maybe for me, I love that way of playing the game. I hate the way Harden gives up sometimes. I don't like the lack of leadership on this team. We aren't tough either.

I hope this teams proves me wrong but from top to bottom, including coaching - the L.A. Clipper are by far the better team in nearly every way shape and form.

 

im sure he will get 25pts no matter wat, only thing matters is these points come at the right time. when the team down 10 pts, its time for him to score, its time for him to take over, dont ****ing pass it. take the ****ing shot, be a man. JJ ****ing reddick is guarding you. JJ ****ing reddick.

 

Just one little nitpick - Harden being a flopper. Yeah he embellishes contact .... but that contact is according to the rules a foul and when made is the proper call.

If the contact is indeed by definition a foul why isn't it called (in this series) and how does that make Harden a flopper ?!

 

He is talking about 25 shots, not 25 points. Harden was soft enough to not willing to take a shot in last two games. Win or lose, play your dammit game, no one is going to kill you if you miss a shot.

 

My what a depressing place the GARM has become, where we lend credence to such "journalism."

Dude is doubletrolling as a rockets hater with his press credentials on and everyone here is like "He's right, put us out of our misery" or "I wouldn't know, I'm not watching these games" or "boohoo, our offense is gimmicky and deserves to be reviled"

Pathetic. After all the adversity, this is the best you fans can do?

I hope James comes out and tells you all to "suck it" with a game that shows his true ability and potential, but I admit it's not looking like the -team- will produce to the extent they'd need to to make it happen. Too bad, seems like a bunch of you could use a good "Suck it." yeah, I know we haven't looked great, but good lord what a bunch of whiney know it all entitled crybabies this place has become filled with.

 

MVP in my book