The offense is more entertaining to watch with Howard out. I'm not saying it's better, but it's more enjoyable to watch Harden do his thing rather than watch Howard's post game.
I dont know about that - the Harden - Howard pick and roll is one of the most beautiful basketball plays there is. Howard's post game is a different story but I would def prefer Howard to be out there for offense as well, especially when James does sit. His post game is ugly but efficient and it opens up shots for the outside shooters.
people have said the spurs were boring to watch for years. do you think any of them gave a ****? Whole the clippers have been voted one of the most fun teams to watch, and where has fun gotten them in the playoffs the past few years? none of that should matter.
This had me laughing because the midrange two is boring. So why so mad? It is a natural hate for the rockets/Dwight.
I agree. If people were making just like 20% more of their wide open threes (of which we have missed a LOT this season), I bet Harden's APG would be like 8+, too. Even though his shooting percentages are down a bit, and his TOs are up a bit, he just looks sooo much better on both ends of the floor this year... And I bet with a healthy roster, a lot of those numbers will improve.
It has nothing to do with the style of play and everything to do with where the team plays. Can you imagine if the Bulls played in Houston? With Thibs as the coach? It would be the most hated team in the league. People would want to wipe that stupid bun off of Noah's ugly face. Rose would get lambasted by every sportswriter without fail. Everything in Houston somehow gets spun in a negative light. I attribute some of it to the coastal bias, some to the media centrism and inferiority complex of nearby Dallas, and the rest to implicit racism. The rest of the country don't like it that a minority city, an immigrant city, is about to punk their ass economically. So they get back in what petty ways they can.
It seems like the media is trying to get harden to leave houston or dwight.. Dwight is public enemy #1 and for some reason Harden has become public enemy #2. But harden has enjoyed being hated. He relishes in it, It brings out his best. I Love It. Let them Hate.
They say that now but how bout when it's apparent that Harden and Howard get screwed in the post season with no calls on their behalf like last season?
I think the "hate watching the Rockets" attitude is just kind of a lingering thing from last season. Given your points above, this will change ultimately.
It's Dwight, Houston were "exciting" the first year they had Harden, his game hasn't really changed except he's playing defense now. Harden plays the nba as a metagame, but he's been doing that since he was one of the nbas young upcoming stars in OKC. It's all about Dwight, and Kobe fans (ironically Kobe loves watching Harden because Kobe views the nba as a metagame as well).
Houston will always be underloved/underrated because of the "small" market. Think about how little San Antonio was talked about year after year. For the past 5+ years, they've always been slighted as the team to drop off due to their age, yet they kept proving pundits wrong. There is a lag with perception. Similar with Harden's defense. He has played at an All NBA defensive level yet still gets lambasted as a poor defender. Why don't we stop wallowing in our self pity and be a little honest with ourselves. We have gotten past the first round once in almost a couple decades. ONCE. While true that the media doesn't show as much love with the Rockets as let's say Dallas or Golden State, but I can't blame them. We haven't proven anything legitimate post season wise. Life's not fair. Get over it.