James harden on resting

Those who do not learn from the past are destined to repeat it...

After last years game 6 debacle, didn't MDA make some declaration about resting harden down the stretch in the future, so he would be more rested for the postseason.

 

Harden needs to rest some games...it’s the smart thing to do

 

If he doesn't want to take a day off cut his minutes during the games. I believe he should sit out the last two games.

 

Neh, he needs to play 25 mins a game. He need that cardio fitness for the playoffs. Cant have Fat Harden at the strip clubs.

 

He certainly took the first 4 quarters off tonight .

Shelve your pride and look at the bigger picture . A little extra juice in the playoffs could mean the difference in a game ... In a series .

From MDA's point of view , he has to take the decision out of Harden's hands ... This should be a non discussion . Harden should get at least 2 of these upcoming games off . It's a shitty thing ... But nothing this team has done this season matters if we dissapiont in the playoffs . Resting up is something that gives us a little bit of an advantage and we should take every scrap available

 

This. Everyone here b****** about this should go become Kawhi/Spurs fans. He’s SO good because he’s wired the way he is. I 100% get why people want him to rest and I hope they do find a game where they force him to sit but we are so lucky to have a guy like him. He’s the Rockets version of Jose Altuve in a way...another guy who loves to play.

 

I have yet to hear an explanation from James Harden as to what happened to him at the end of last year's Spurs series. Morey indicated in an interview that he hasn't heard an explanation, either.

Until Harden can explain that debacle as something other than overuse, he doesn't get to play out the regular season just because he feels like it. He has not shown himself to be a good judge of how much rest he needs.

 

I don't see us resting him for complete games with MVP on the line, but I really hope we play him 20 or so minutes in a few of these games. Let Joe Johnson and Gerald Green continue to catch a rhythm.

 

just look at harden when the season started, and when he came back from injury, how much bounce and agility he has, this guy loves ball, but as a coach you need to observe and make the smart decision, James needs the rest, for whatever reason, if he gets some rest, he will be much more efficient, we need peak Beard to have a chance

 

I'm okay with Him resting..but I hope its not this Saturday night - My 10yr old daughter will be crushed because we're driving almost 300 miles so she can see Harden play at the Toyota Center on Saturday. This was her Christmas present.

 

That's my thinking too. The Rockets have 4 more games on this homestand:

NOP
ATL(B2B)
CHI
PHX

The Raptors between now and next weekend have the following games:

BKN
LAC
DEN
@bos

The Warriors' schedule looks like this:

ATL
UTA
IND
MIL
@SAC

Best case scenario, the Rockets win all 4, the Warriors and Raptors each drop a couple games, and we have the best record clinched before the calendar hits April. It's a bit of a longshot, but it could happen. Then D'Antoni has nearly 2 weeks to rest guys leading up to the playoffs.

 

I say play Harden and Paul against NOP, sit one/really short minutes for the other against each of next 3..

 

Becuase he was concussed, and has memory loss.

 

Maybe he said this so there wouldn't be a ton of backlash if he did say "Yeah i'm going to sit out couple games to rest".

Let Harden say his quote that he wants to play and have Dantoni rest him or have him sit out for an "injury".

 

Some of you guys are so DRAMATIC and quick to scream for rest! A couple of thoughts....

-This season is not like last! Harden has not come close to expending the same kind of energy as he did a year ago.

-1 or even a few regular season games WILL NOT have any impact on Hardens rest level. I get that some of you get winded going into the kitchen to get your Cheetos, but Harden playing 35 minutes in a few games does not have the same effect. He is 28 and a professional athlete. Even if he rested a game, he would likely do even more work in the weight room...so asking for him to sit a game, will probably result in less rest for him.

-All of you having night terrors about game 6 last year, please stop feeding into stupid MK,SAS,BSPN/Media spin. Last years playoff performance was not just a result of Harden....that team was never going to win it all....sorry to break it to you. I hope beyond all hope we win it all this year....but even if we do not, success should be measured by putting ourselves in the position to win the championship....

 

I imagine that's their plan. I would definitely rest Luc for the next 4 games. Let that knee heal. You play CP3 and James against the Pelicans cuz you'll need em both to win that game. Then either limit their minutes or rest one of the two against the next 3 opponents, all of whom are basically tanking at this point and are among the worst teams in the league.

 

Harden's personal cardiologist Dr. Krystal at the Memorial Gentlemen Center just cleared him for vigorous activity.

 

His legs looked dead as hell last night, all of his shots were coming up short. He even had a free throw bounce off the front rim, which I don't think I've ever seen.

 

Sorry, I think Pop would disagree and I trust his judgement better than yours. I say give a game off here and there, but Harden and CP3 need to play most games to keep them sharp and hungry. I would like to see both of them play less minutes the rest of the way with a random game off now and again. I'm am worried about Harden's ability to get beat up like he did last night without getting the calls he is used too. It happens every year in the playoffs when drivers are allowed to be pummeled and grabbed all over the court. It has to be exhausting even for a 28 year old professional athlete. Teams that are real physical and big seem to give the Rockets more trouble and it will only get worse in the playoffs.

 

I remember Harden saying similar things last season at about the same time. He got bashed hard by media member for saying that. In a show called Sports Nation hosted by a lady named Michelle Beadle, they laughed at Hardens' comments on not liking resting and said the reason Harden didn't want to miss games was to pad stats so he could win MVP. Also, they highly praised Lebron for coasting in the regular season, which made me very confused.

To me, players earn their salary by playing games, maybe there are legitimate reasons for them to miss games albeit being healthy, but at least that is not a virtue, and unwillingness to rest when healthy is not a sin. Michael Jordan didn't miss a single game in his second three-peat, I don't think he should be criticized for that. I hope media will let Harden go this time.