What's wrong with Harden Harden had 10 TO's in tonight's game. We can't win if he keeps turning the ball over. We need him to make his shots, especially the ones inside the 3 pol pint line.
I think McHale is too confident about Harden's abilities. He sees Harden everyday in practice just dominating our hapless defense and falls in love with Harden ISOs. I'm not saying Harden is overrated, just that McHale might be unreasonably confident. The worst part about Harden ISO is that as soon as it starts, the rest of the team just stand still, so as not to disrupt/interfere with it. I haven't kept track, but just seems to me that we almost never get offensive rebounds off his misses. As others have mentioned, he hasn't been quite the same since his injury when he stepped on D. Lee. Hopefully he'll return to form once he gets a chance to rest and heal.
Two games in a row. Turnovers and missed shots to close out the Game 3 loss and three straight missed pull ups to close out Game 4, which they fortunately won. Part of the process of learning. Kobe had two airballs in the playoffs against the Jazz centuries ago, look where he is now. Even MJ had too many ISO ball games and too little wins his first few seasons. Harden should learn from this to take his career and the team even further. The problem with some posters is that no one seems to be allowed to be human. A lot of the conflicts in this board stem from people not giving the players enough breaks - Harden, Lin, Asik, Delfino. If they're ****ty human beings or don't give effort or feel too entitled (ala Randy Moss, Latrell Sprewell, etc), then by all means let's give them hell and drive them out of town. But these guys seem to me like they're giving their best effort so let's give them a chance to grow.
I have a problem with people saying that Harden "mailed it in" or "didn't try" tonight. Harden played hard, there's no questioning that. Just because someone makes a boneheaded play doesn't mean they aren't trying hard. The fact that he had 10 TO's shouldn't leave any doubt that he's trying too hard.. he just needs to relax, he's pressing too hard.
His ISO's and bad plays at the end of the games stems to the last game of the season against the Lakers. You know what is coming at the end of the game. Unfortunately he has been jacking up 3's inside of taking the ball inside and either kicking out or just going to the hole. Or he is just turning the ball over at the wrong time.
So let me get this straight. They figured him out for a season...and then when the next season started forgot how to guard against him...and now they have figured him out again? Could be related to fatigue. Could be that certain teams just play better against him. Miami has a REALLY great defense and the Thunder has perhaps the best shot blocker in the NBA and a great wing defender to throw at him. (and one of the best floppers ever) One thing that is encouraging is that he knows what is wrong when you hear him in the post game. He mentioned that he needs to stay active and move move move...he knows part of what's wrong. Although people will have a problem with him saying that he had good shots. The 3rd shot was really good, basically a wide open shot that he should drain 9/10 but he has to know that it's better to go towards the rim and look to create for another open shooter or to get a lay up.
Iso Harden help us win this game. Did u see that ? Turnovers are acceptable when you are primary ball handler.
Yes we won...but the point is that we could have won last game too. When we were up and he threw the ball away twice. You have to look at all aspects. It's not complaining when it's speaking the truth.
That's what makes Harden so frustrating, he's no idiot, this guy knows exactly what he's doing out there, and you hear it every post game interview, but then he goes out and does the same thing, rinse and repeat. Sometimes he'll get calls and hit that clutch shot, and its all gravy, but when things aren't going his way, he just forces the issue. I'm not going to say he doesn't trust his teammates to bring it in the clutch, but that's what it looks like. Even if McHale is calling for ISO, Harden can easily wave that off and run a simple play that can get him a better shot in rythym, or even be a decoy for the guy with the hot Hand, in tonights case, Parsons. Its sink or swim with his ISO's, we don't have a chance for a put back because he runs the clock down and everyone's cleared out.
He has been great most of the season, this is his first time being a starter, this is the first time he has had to carry the team and he is 23 years old. I think that tells the whole story right there. This season has been a success and I would think that he will be even better next year. Your right he has had some bad moments in this series but I think that's expected for young players. If he plays good the next game we will have a good chance of winning.
In the offseason, I'd like to see him work on his post game/mid range touch. On top of that, he needs to work on his endurance for the long season at major minutes, ride the tdf, take EPO (not like the nba tests for anything), anything really.
This. That third shot didn't go in, but I think most people can live with a wide open shot inside the 3-point line. He makes that shot in his sleep. He just happened to have it missed tonight.
He's playing too many minutes and the coaches are giving him an endless supply of eyesores. I mean iso's. Ish is ugly, mayne.
i don't think it's the defenses, i mean he is missing even easy wide open J's and multiple freethrows.......and handing the ball to the opponent inexplicably. and losing focus entirely on defense. it looks like game jitters to me. he simply doesn't have the composure to carry a team on his own, at least at this stage in his career. i have never seen a breakdown like this before.
Harden was atrociously bad last year in the NBA Finals and he was horrible in the Olympics also. Once again, he was horrible down the stretch of this season and in the first round of the playoffs. This guy is the most overpaid player in the NBA by leaps and bounds.
