Not worried about locking in #1 seed, I think the key is figuring out how much to rest players. People on here think we should rest CP and James the remainder of the season. We've seen what a player looks like who isn't keeping up his conditioning in Joe Johnson.
Harden didn't even show up to the game on his day off. Give him two weeks off and he'll go on a bender. I won't believe he is #lockedin until I see it in the playoffs.
The fact is we are so good this year that the only team that can beat us is ourself. We need to avoid injuries and complacency. First overall seed all the way through is a done deal. We have to stay hungry.
Do you show up to work on your day off? Just to go to the office or the laundromart or the grocery store or wherever the F you work at and watch others?
You realize just about any job on the planet that involves advanced degrees requires employees to be available to an extent, even on their "day off" is that you Craig? Day-Day? Lol, the fact that you don't know that means you don't have a big boy job yet.
By your logic Harden could have been on call, doesn't mean he has to physically show up Let me ask you again in plain vanilla English. Do you physically show up to work on your day off?
I am not an NBA player. If I see an Analyst get chewed out by a client, I don't push him onto a conference table like I'm Gerald Green. Not really an apples to apples comparison. In a team oriented professional sports environment yeah, you show up unless you're getting treatment. If I am an NBA player I would want to be there if my teammates get into it on the court, or I needed to help in a locker room invasion. If the end of the bench guy goes off for 30 points I'd like to be there cheering him on. It is part of being a good leader. Good leaders don't really take days off. They're either in the trenches with you with their sleeves rolled up, or their right next to you providing support and guidance. There are off days for the team, the off season, all-star break etc. Having your team show up to work, but not your leader? That would be like your boss asking you to come to work on a holiday, and not be there with you. It happens all the time, it just isn't a sign of a good leader.
I am sure he has his reasons. He has did so much for the city of Houston. I have also seen him at some of the U of H games. I respect him for that. We do need to make sure above all else he is rested and healthy for the playoffs.
I really don't doubt his work ethic, I think it's good to get a true day off where you don't do anything basketball related. I just got suckered into responding to a troll.
I guarantee that Harden got permission to not be at the game, whatever reason we don't know. It's not our business whatever it was.
