The type of player Rondo is, he comes around once every 10 years. He's his generation's Jason Kidd, and Jason Kidd was his generation's Magic Johnson. The Duncan, LeBron, Rondo, Kobe's of the league - they're truly transcendent players.
Also, not even going to have a discussion over whether Rajon Rondo is better than Harden. If you can't appreciate what Rondo does on an NBA Court, then you obviously 1. Have never watched Rondo play 2. Don't know **** about basketball
TBF maybe everyone and his dog telling him that it is HIS team from day one and that he is Atlas carrying the whole offense of the team with the top ranked offense along with McSuccess not doing his job has got to his head. Maybe Harden is believing his own hype. I don't remember him being a black hole on the OKC team. I think that Harden failing at heroball will ultimately be a good thing in the long run IF Harden pull his head from his ass and learns from his mistakes. Else, it's TMAC all other again.
Oh, I've seen Rondo play alright. Seen him pass over open shots and run one of the lowest ranked offense alright. Along with the standard matador defense of trying to poke for the ball and staying in the game during a blow-out so as to get two more assists and keep his lame double figure assist streak going. Transcendent player? Dumb ass.
So we missed out on a chance to win the championship because Harden is slumping the last part of the season and overall in the playoffs? I don't get what you are trying to say? No it's not a big deal. If he hasn't learned from his mistakes by next year's postseason then we should be worried.
Did you see him win an NBA Championship player too? Oh wait, you don't actually watch or know **** about basketball. How many NBA Championships does Harden have again? Why don't you go be a Harden fanboy. LOL comparing Harden to Rondo, you're a joke. Every NBA coach would think you're an idiot.
I have to agree with coach on this one. Harden tends to hold the ball way to often in late game situations. Usually ends up in a bad shot or a pass off which again results in a bad shot.
Remember when Patterson called out Harden? "If we get down and sometimes, somebody wants to make plays to get us back in the game, and then that leads to excessive dribbling, you know, trying to pass it at the last minute, trying to put the game on your shoulders, you know, and James is a great, great player, don't get me wrong. James is our best player, hands down. You know, but we all try to make plays for ourselves and sometimes for our teammates, when really we should just pass the ball, move the ball, set screens, sacrifice ourselves to make this team a better team. When you get down, you tend to have plays where people want to make the big home-run play, pretty much, and we have to stop doing that. We have to learn to trust in the system, trust our teammates, and pretty much just share the ball. Because when we share the ball... we get to the free throw line, we knock down our shots, and then we have big wins." Nothing has changed, if anything Harden has gotten increasingly more selfish. PPat knew what's up.
I totally agree I get really frustrated when the ball stays in hardens hands and does not move at all then he is taking this very low percentage shot at the end that's just not good basketball
You just don't get it..... it is HIS team. He is head and shoulders above everyone else on the team, and at 23 years old is one of the top 8 players in the league with the potential to be a top 4-5 players. This is a superstar league. NOW with that comes responsibility, he needs to stay out of trouble and lead the team. Right now, at 23, Harden is sowing his oats. He will eventually learn to trust his teammates, and will pass when needed and take the shot when needed. Kobe, MJ, Hakeem and many others have gone through it. McHale even alluded to it, staying that you need experience at the end of games to know what does and does not work.
Join date: 2013 Harden is 23 years old..... how many titles did LeBron and MJ have by age 23? How about Durant? The fact they you would trade Harden for Rondo only confirms what most posters expected, you have never actually watches an NBA game.
I don't disagree with what you say here but you (and many overly optimistic) Rockets fans need not compare him to the likes of Hakeem or MJ. He's not remotely in that league and nothing besides 1 allstar nod would confirm this. Yeah, he's young, lots of potential, etc etc...but he might end up more TMAC or Vince Carter or Jerry Stackhouse than one of the greats (maybe not either). It's "his" team in the sense that he's the max guy and with max money comes the responsibility which I think he is trying to assume. But just because it's "his" team doesn't mean he's 100% taking the shots at the end or calling shots in the locker room etc. That's earned in the locker room.
All that "the man" and "his" team stuff is just empty rhetoric. Harden should be heavily involved in crunch time simply because he is our best player and it gives the TEAM the best chance to win. If there is a huge mismatch on the court and the coach draws up a play to exploit it then that play should be run because it gives the team the best chance to win - even if it involves Harden setting a pick or just being a decoy. We don't need any Scottie Pippen sulking on the bench just because he doesn't get to decide who shoots the last shot. Michael Jordan set up a far too lofty goal that is unrealistic for most players - that you have to lead the team in scoring, go ISO during crunch time, take the hero-shot, etc., etc. What would you do in this theoretical (and ridiculous situation). Let's say we are playing the Heat at the end of game 7 in a few weeks and Lebron and Chalmers are double-teaming Harden and trying to deny him the ball. Do you force-feed Harden the ball in that situation because it's "his" team and we should live and die by him? Or do you acknowledge that there might be someone who is wide-open for a layup right off the inbound pass?
Sure... Harden could end up like Carter or TMac (Stackhouse was never as good as Harden has been this season).... (in the case of Carter he didn't want to take over games)....... the only way to find out is to go through the growing pains, which involve a player wanting to lead, wanting the last shot, etc. Harden will never be as good as Jordan or Olajuwon, I used them as an example, because they as well went through the growing pains of not trusting their teammates. Harden can be a top 3-4 player in the NBA assuming things goes his way, which is good enough to win a title with help. Concerning taking all the shots at the end of games... he should always be involved as either the shooter or distributor.... As far as I know Harden has the respect of his teammates in the locker room. A number of players have referred to him as the leader, and Delfino commented on how Harden takes responsibility if he makes a mistake. Harden is STUBBORN.... VERY VERY STUBBORN and it is his best trait and his greatest weakness, the hope is that over time he will learn, as McHale alluded to. McHale knows how to handle the situation, he has gone through it as a player with Bird and as an exacutive with Garnett.
