Harden is going to be okay, he is young and developing, so it isn't a finished product. Right now, Harden does not trust his teammates making shots, so he does it himself. As much as we hate ISO plays, eventually he will outgrow and start becoming a better all-around player. A lot of young players are like that when given the reign, they will try to overdo it. Lebron didn't win his first until 27, Jordan didn't win it until 29, Hakeem didn't win it until 30s- I'm not saying Harden is any of that, but obviously his level of basketball maturity isn't there yet. Maybe tonight, he breaks out, if not he'll have a whole offseason to improve his basketball IQ.
This. NO player is above the team, and similarly, none should be above the franchise. Harden's ego has been unchecked and badly needs a dressing down, and McHale giving him such a long leash isn't helping matters. Having a breakout season doesn't automatically make you superstar, and neither does behaving like Dwight Howard ensure that players will treat you like one.
If you listen to McHale, he said the guys need to go through it (play the way they want to) and one day the light in their head will go off and they realize (playing with ball movement and people movement) is the correct way. This is in reference to the Harden's ISO. There is no dispute what McHale wants. There is no dispute that players are not yet in line with what McHale wants. Especially Harden, but also Lin (he himself have said it a number of times that I play the way I know how to play and be myself) and other players. It takes time for player (YOUNG players especially those that are very talented and KNOW they can hit the shot now and again and again) to gets rid of old habits and learn new one. In the case of Harden, not only is he very talented and obviously confident in himself, he watched two others teammates doing exactly what he is doing now (KD and Westbrook). It takes time. I give them all (including McHale) at least 1 more year to gel.
Sounds more like he said she said like of thing. To be honest though, it doesn't look like Mchale has that much input in what offensive play they're running. The Rockets were very fortunate to have Parsons rolling offensively as he did and hopefully Harden joins in on contributing. I know the shots Harden were taking were tough shots but he gets paid to make those shots, that's why he's our franchise player but running ISO sets and not making a good % of the shots just ends up being a bad play IMO. But he'll learn from it and become a more polished player because of it.
Iso harden worked. Look back at the denver game when harden went for 3 and got 3 points to put the rockets into the playoffs
Wow! Now I'm being labelled an LOF (Lin something Fan) or whatever that means. I was also a Jordan fan for 10 years. I supported all the bulls Paxson, Kerr, Grant, Pippen, Cartwright, Kukoc, and Longley (also because he's an aussie like me). I was originally a Dr.J 76ers fan and I grew up watching Lakers vs Celtics. I'm from Australia and so I don't have any American regional affiliations, I love basketball and follow players and teams that inspire me. I've had over 200 posts in the past few days. Now someone pulled the 3 posts in which I 1) Criticised Harden's accountability for nights shooting bricks like 7/27 2) McHale's in-game coaching and treatment of Lin 3) That Lin should still start over Beverley If you think I believe these things only because I support Lin then you are truly lost and blinded by your own hate. I posted this thread, the CSN report about the Harden McHale end game dispute because I thought it was big news and shed light on some things I had suspected for a while. I have no agenda. I hope they can overcome their differences and the rockets can play well down the stretch. I love Harden and all the rocket's players. I will be celebrating the rockets win tomorrow and nothing would make me happier than Harden going off and making the game winning shot on an ISO play. I would also be happy if Asik goes for 20/20 Parsons shows he's an upcoming superstar by all round domination Lin goes off for Linsanity 2.0 Beverley shuts down Jackson and sticks it to the OKC crowd Delfino explodes from behind the arc and posterizes Durant again ... etc. I suggest people on this forum stop calling others names and address the issues in threads with reasoned arguments or else DON'T POST. I leave you with... GO ROCKETS! F***ing blow up OKC on their own floor in game 5 and show 'em what Rockets basketball is all about!!!
But if it comes down to the last minute in game 5 and rockets down by 2 and harden turns over or misses. Harden need to shave every ounce of hair on his body including the beard. Dont think the beard seems to be working. Making him hot and makes hit fatigue in the 4th quarter.
That's what happens when we barely run any sets throughout the year and encourage players to play with freedom. Players are not on the same page and they run what they are familiar with. Fans and media are picking up on the ISOs and everyone says they're ugly. That's why McHale took pains to explain his playcalling. Probably heard he's being blames\d for it. I'd say partly because he didn't do anything to stop it earlier. If Harden persists in not following and he's not able to score, say within the last 3 minutes, then I would run a set for another player with Harden as decoy. Or I will just sit him to instill discipline on the team. I doubt many will blame McHale since everybody noticed how bad Harden was in Game 4. And Bill Walton and I think Shaq called Harden out for it.
I couldn't agree more... additionally, in crunch time with the game on the line, you go for high % buckets - take it to the hole and finish with authority! Or in Hardens case... stumble down the lane and try to draw contact to get the call so you can take free throws...lol
While I agree with the general thought here, that quote drives me nuts. It's not really applicable in most cases unless the player is taking the exact same shot from the same spot, with the same defense, etc. Harden was making those shots earlier this year, so by that rationale (expecting the same result, a make) he SHOULD be doing it, yes? That's why I don't like that quote, and it's been inaccurately credited to Einstein. Just a pet peeve of mine.
with credible points. this is a board about basketball not LOF LOH fight club. have some consideration and quit stink it up.
What? McHale finally caved in to all the McFail's ISO allegations, and decided to say it is all Harden?
But he hasn't been making those shots for months now. Seriously, when's the last time Harden took a 3-pointer off an ISO late in a game and knocked it down? Even the one against Phoenix doesn't really count since it took a really dumb Jermaine O'Neal goaltend in order to get those 3 points. He constantly ISO'd against the Lakers in the season finale and lost us that game(and with it the 7th seed). He never made any long range jumpers in Game 3 of this series. And I don't think I have to recount how badly he played down the stretch in Game 4. If Harden is too tired late in games to beat his man off the dribble, then be a man and admit that. There are plenty of guys on this team who can handle the ball instead of him. He can cut to the hoop and Parsons, Beverley, or even Delfino can feed him. Or he can have Asik set a pick which would almost certainly draw a second and possibly third defender and leave his teammates wide open. He can also post up the Thunder defender, that way worst case scenario he'd be settling for a 15-footer instead of 25. And I don't believe for a second that McHale ain't telling him this in the huddle. For all my complaints about his deficiencies as a coach, he can't put a gun to their heads and force his players to execute the play he draws up. If Harden insists on going ISO because he's either lazy or so arrogant that he thinks he's gonna knock down a long 3 that he hasn't been able to make consistently since the All-Star Break, then the only option McHale has is to bench him which probably isn't gonna happen in the middle of a playoff series, particularly with Lin already out.
If a coach loses the respect of his players, it's time for that coach to be fired. So if this story is true (and not over-sensationalized...it's normal for minor infrequent disagreements to happen)...it's time to let McHale go. It doesn't matter if McHale is right or if Harden is right. It's about everyone being on the same page and buying into the system.
