So you want a 2-SG backcourt? Cause that's basically what you'll be rolling with and as good as their individual stats look, not sure how a Harden-Afflalo tandem works. I've seen a 2-PG backcourt work (I think Brad Stevens advocate this too), but I can't think of any successful team that ran with 2 SGs. Also, I do like the addition of Andre Miller (if Lin gets moved). Not a good scorer, but a good assist man if you give him decent playing time.
What's the point of talking about the "Point". This backcourt is all about Harden and it will always be about Harden. Harden is turnover-prone, plays no D and shoots a poor 3 pt % this season. He IS a flawed superstar. Both you and Clutch are basically saying getting a PG who can do all that and somewhat mitigate Harden's flaws. And how much value does that really add? Even if we get a $10m+ elite PG, that's not going to cut down Hardens turnovers or improve his D. Offense still runs through Harden 80% of the times and backcourt will still be average on D. If you truly believe Harden is the fundamental piece for Houston, how about asking him for more instead of finding expensive pieces to make up for his shorts. Yes I do blame the loss on James. As a franchise player who makes max money, he just currently has too many holes in his game. What bothers me more - He hasn't showed that winning attitude
I think the main thing to take away from OP's post is the lack of steady playmaking in crunchtime. The rest of the game's turnovers we can live, as per Morey's view. However, bad possessions and turnovers in the last 5 minutes of the game are what kills even great team. I was rewatching some of the 2011 finals between Dallas and Miami and I noticed the steady plays run in the last couple minutes of the game that were usually initiated by Jason Kidd. Cuban really backed their decision to trade for Kidd (giving up offensive potential allstar pg Devin Harris) taking this into account, I dont think this problem is not going to go away even with a steady pass-first point guard. It will take an experienced veteran who can get us into our offense with good ball movement and prevent any sort of "hero-ball". The Rockets don't have a stable veteran in the backcourt who can calm the team down. Harden is still learning to close games, and I think it will still take some time/painful-losses before he realizes that him taking the ball from the three-point line to start late fourth quarter plays is not the best option. Below is the video for what Cuban said about Kidd (watch at 2:10) [youtube]q_OCV0Z80tU[/youtube]
All Harden needs is a hustling defensive big who can set picks and finish lobs down low. not the point.
whoa there, mother lover. it's not like he is missing team flights to go watch beyonce. kind of unfair to say he doesn't have a winning attitude.
Harden is who he is. For better or worse, he is the horse the cart is pegged too. You can want/beg/cry for him to be a different player, but the odds of that happening are very low. All you can do is add complimentary pieces around him which help cover his flaws.
A 2 guard backcourt can work (see Phil's Bulls & Lakers) but you really need good ball handlers at the 3 spot to help bring the ball up, and a system that supports more of a half court style of play. With Harden in the backcourt with another SG, I would ABSOLUTELY not want him being the sole ball-handler in our offense. The major advantage the Rockets offense has is the unpredictability of it. You take out another PG, and put Harden on the ball 100% of the time, and you're asking for teams to run James into the ground by putting ball pressure on him for 48 minutes a night. Playing in the Rockets system where its all attack and kick, attack and kick, and a little bit of inside out, making Harden the sole ball-handler would absolutely wear him out really really quick. If the Rockets wanted to scrap the system they have now, fire McHale, and hire Phil Jackson, maybe you could run the triangle with this group, and give Parsons more ball handling responsibility. Given the fact that this group has trouble executing the plays that McHale runs out on the court I DO NOT RECOMMEND THE TRIANGLE for this group of simple minded basketball players (mean no disrespect). Keep it simple, and keep another ball-handler in the backcourt with Harden please. -Oh and Aaron Afflalo.....lololololoolool.... Yeah, keep dreaming folks. He's one of the most sought after players in the league right now, and he's not coming to Houston in free agency in 2 years just to play 3rd or 4th fiddle. He's going to be looking for a starting SG spot somewhere on a close to max contract in 2 years. The Magic might or might not trade him, but the Rockets do not have nearly enough to entice Hennigan right now to trade for him. Not when there still is the chance that he might still be their long term SG moving forward anyways.
No, that is what you are saying. Every star has weaknesses, unless your name is Lebron. It is the duty of the team to compliment and support the team and that includes the coach. For every coach that is able to control his team and players completely with an iron fist, there are tons others that get fired for trying.
You tell me. Who would be the better defender in the back court on PGs and SGs, Lin or Afflalo? Oh, then tell me who would create the most space for Harden and allow Harden to run the top to his heart's content without getting the way by handling the rock and driving into the lane?? And then tell me who is the better perimeter shooter...Afflalo or Lin? In my opinion, if we can find a wing that can defend 1's, I see no need to have a small point guard out there. Why not just run Parsons and another wing around Harden at the top??? Afflalo, Shumpert, others. I think they make more sense than a PG. Aside: I'm not advocating acquiring Afflalo right now. I think we've got to maintain cap flexibility for the time being before settling for guys like Afflalo and his contract. But that type of player at the 1.....I see no reason not to play that way if we could acquire a taller, longer, athletic perimeter player that can play defense and shoot the 3. Especially when you look around the league and see this new hybrid, athletic point guard play>
You can't have Harden running the point full time, you will wear him down. He can set up the plays in the half court, but you have to have a PG bring it up the court and avoid pressing, etc.
Harden is who he is is a flawed statement. I hope you understand why. He is who he is in the sense that he can play to certain physical abilities and limitations. But who he develops to be in his mental approach and what he develops in his game to get more tools is hardly set in stone. As far as giving him some God status, that's the worse thing to do. Because, there won't be complementary pieces to selfishness and laziness which Harden at times exhibits. I like Harden a lot. He's immensely talented. I think there's Harden the team player and winner and Harden the ball stopper and lazy defender. It's the former Harden that should be developed and the latter Harden that needs to be minimized. Someone has to do it, Dwight, coaches, his minister, someone or else you're going to end up going but so far with him.
Look, everybody brings the ball up now. Parsons, Lin, Beverley, Garcia, Jones. You even see Dwight take a couple dribbles and run it up occasionally. I think that's part of the secret of where this team is going. Ideally 4 guys with a handle that can get the ball up. You put another guy like Afflalo at the 1, he can handle it and get it up the floor. And if he's got a small pesky point guard pestering him...well he just flips it to Parsons and Parsons brings it up. I see no need for us to match up offensively with smaller, quicker defensive point guard types. Why not just go with more length and athleticism and find whichever one of our guys is open and let them bring it across midcourt??? Nobody is the NBA plays full court Pitino-style trapping D. I would like to see it. But nobody is doing it. So why even have a small out there? Just run wings around Harden.
Basketballholic- Comes with the good breakdown again, I would love Lin to run the offense but it's not going to happen. Harden will continue to do it. So the best person to play besides him is a perimeter defensive specialist with length & a body that can guard 1-3 a shoot the 3. When you have a small defensive player like bev he's good but when switches happen he just doesn't have the size to guard a 2-3 and talkers 1s. And like he said we're seeing a hybrid version on PGs now durant Lebron etc can run the offense at top at any given time. Which can create mismatches if the rockets are not playing man defense.
Harden is who he is. He is one of the most gifted players in the league. No doubt about that. I never wanted him to be a different player but a more complete player. Little extra D and some better decision making in clutch time. Definitely doable for a player like his caliber and his development will solve a lot of the problems in our backcourt (and makes a complement "point" less relevant) - that's my whole point.
Perfect PG to play with Harden would be someone like the 2008/09 version of Jason Kidd. -Good veteran floor general/ball handler -Good defender -Excellent 3 point shooter -Excellent at creating ball movement with passing Harden cannot play alongside someone who puts sole responsibility of running the offense in James' hands. James is a scorer first and foremost. That's why he plays the SG position to begin with. You need someone else out there to direct traffic, and get the ball where it needs to go. Too much ball handling responsibilities throughout 3 1/2 quarters of the game would make him more predictable, and less effective in the last 5 minutes of the ball game in the 4th not to mention where him out, and NOT GET OTHERS INVOLVED enough. James Harden needs a PG to play alongside. Just one that doesn't necessarily need the ball in his hands in the last 4 minutes of the game, and can play off the ball when Harden is relied upon to close games by scoring in the halfcourt when the defense is locked in the halfcourt, and the Rockets cannot score as easily.
No, it is sometimes Harden or Parsons when the defense is laying off and they can just walk it up the court, but usually it is Lin, Bev or Brooks. Harden will never be developed or emerge into an energy guy, it is not going to happen. He is going to put forth the effort defensively he needs to get by and then turn it on when he needs too like in big games or the playoffs. Do I wish this wasn't the case? Absolutely. But it is what it is. Happened with McGrady, Kobe, Barkley and so on.
If you don't have a PG on the floor, they will counter by pressing the ball handling and forcing you into turnovers. It's not going to work to not have a PG on the floor any extended periods of time.
