I agree with you that defense is the bigger issue with this team, but my gut tells me that there are problems with the offense as well. The fact that Harden is putting up bigger numbers overall could mean that the Rockets are relying even more on Harden to score than last year, something the team wanted to move away from. Checking with basketball-reference.com, Harden's FGA is up to 19.1 from 18.1 last season, while FG% is .427, the lowest since his rookie season. His minutes played is also up to 37.3 from 36.8. So, while he may be scoring the most points per game in his career (28 points), he is having to play more minutes and score less efficiently to do so. Furthermore, the fact that the team overall has a higher points per game but with about the same number of assists isn't necessarily a good sign. It could reflect the addition of scorers like Thornton, but it could also mean guys are looking to score more on their own instead of setting up their teammates. I left the rest of your post out, but you talk about the possible regression of Beverley and Ariza, as well as the defensive limitations of Harden. But I think Thornton and Lawson are also culpable here. In fact, the more I think of it, this whole idea of adding scorers and figuring they will somehow improve defensively looks to have backfired so far.
Oh shut up already. You are near the top of the list of biased peons trying to push a stupid narrative.
Haren no leadership No Dmo No Defense Josh Smith is Josh Smith Dwert has played more games this season for the Rockets than he did last season. Tjones regressed and injured yet again Capela is not ready. Not getting anything from Tywon. JBB NO CHEMISTRY!!!!
more r****d, less brain. need more brain, less r****d and they'll be contenders. gotta wait for about 10-20 years though. this mental r****dation is some serious *****.
I think a lot of y'all hit it on the head... It is a combination of many factors. I think gel guys like Kpap, Prig, and even Dorsey (can't believe I'm having to say this) really understood their roles and facilitated others into believing in their roles. The team needs to listen to this, have a big smoke sesh together, and f***** get after it the last 27 games. https://youtu.be/7aAALKpaiJE
Well... I don't how many times we have to read by some people that Harden... Is an inefficient chucker. Holds the ball all the time. More than just about everyone in the league Passes to his teammates for highly contested 3s at the end of the shot clock constantly. Dribbles the air out of the ball constantly. That his missed 3 point attempts are what is completely throwing our defense off. Is THE reason Lawson sucks ass. Is THE reason just about everyone's defense is down. Is just a stat padding me first guy who doesn't care about winning. NONE of which have any factual basis and most can be with out a doubt disproved. Yet day after day after day people keep spouting off with this same garbage as if it's absolute fact, even after some have taken the time to point out with statistical fact that they are wrong.
Defense has regressed pure and simple. This team is a sieve especially on transition defense. We also constantly have weak side guards and forwards leave their man open in the corner and leak pointlessly to the paint when there's penetration.
A lot of replies which I agree with, Yes the defense is regressed Yes there seems to be no chemistry But I wonder why did this happen? larsv8 you are saying it is obvious, so what is the reason? And I know that I am asking people to speculate, since we are not in the locker room and on the court so we can never know for sure.
Lulz at Dorsey, Prigioni, Papa, etc... being the difference between the lottery and WCF. Y'all kill me.
From a purely statistical standpoint it's Dmo , the dude played the third most minutes on the team last season . Now he hasn't played at all . I'm not saying correlation = causation . But in terms of raw minutes he is the biggest difference.
What Pablo brought to us as a secondary ball handler and play maker last year in his short stint here is 10x more than what we have gotten from any secondary playmaker thus far this season. Pretty sad. Also Dorsey was a monster on the boards. Another area we have suffered big time. Not that those two fully explain our drop off, but those guys helped last year.
There's obviously much more... I think the main thing is that those guys played within their roles. Instead of Thornton chucking up 17 shots in 6 minutes, instead of T Jones getting blocked at the rim time and time again, and instead of Ty Lawson having no idea what's going on. You can't argue against that. OBVIOUSLY those are not the only differences.
Read anyone of Aelliot's posts. He does a great job of breaking it down objectively and in much greater detail than I have the patience to do.
I agree with you that, there will always be dumb posters going by the eye test. But just because people say stupid stuff about harden doesn't meant there aren't legitimate criticism backed up by data
You haven't made a substanative post in I don't know how long. Everything you say is "go read aelliots posts" or "everyone is biased except me." Also, you're a HOF, not an objective Rockets fan
You have put in your place so many times, there is no point anymore. You choose to live in a reality that is not real. You say something stupid, people show you how you are wrong, you ignore and still put forth the same nonsense.
