Harden says he plays too much to maintain defensive focus

Harden is playing 3 minutes more a game than anyone else... so there is no one with comparable minutes. Also Lillard is in the top 5 in minutes so the idea that his defense is way worse isn't true.

 

Two things here:

1. No matter how many minutes you play, you need to give your best effort on both ends of the floor, especially when your team is struggling badly.

2. If fatigue is indeed a problem, you need to discuss it with the coaching staff and find a solution, especially when you are THE cornerstone of the team.

 

This.

However I bet it doesn't happen.

 

Staggering numbers. But we still should rest him like all other coaches are doing with their offensive stars in the NBA now.

 

Then why doesn everybody not do this?

"hustle" players exist to exert energy on defense becuase "non" hustle players exert energy on defense.

Every superstar coasts on defense when they're shouldering a massive load on offense. Every single one ever.

 

everyone knows that it is too many minutes. my problem is why are we hearing about this? this should be between him and coach.

 

Yup I was thinking about 34 mpg. If I remember there were enough players still nowadays who still play more than 34-35 mpg.
And he still does (funny how the Bulls organisation were quick to blame Thibs when their new handpicked coach does the same).

Butler said that he had to put his defence on the backseat a bit to play better offence, something that instead of making an excuse like Harden does put it AGAINST HIMSELF. He said it was a mistake and he will fix it asap in the next game. And when we are talking about Butler putting his defence on the backseat we mean from ELITE to average. Not bad. Not awful. Not even not trying.

 

I know that the late Tracy situation was depressing at times

The difference with McGrady was that when he left Orlando for Houston (3rd station) he stated that he would co-parent the Rockets with Yao....

Harden was given the reins of the ball club when he was 24 (2nd gig).... and Dwight acknowledged this was Harden's team when he joined

I agree Harden has to do more but McGrady knew his role.... You could say fans or the organization put too much responsibility on him (or for that matter he himself) because he was a better and more gifted player than Yao on Offense.

 

I was talking about last year not this year. Surely this year he can't be already exhausted to the point that his minutes make him not be able to even try in defence right?

And while Lillard IS a godawful defender, he is still better than Harden.

 

Harden is not a slender built guy who can go all day.

He really doesn't even put out a lot of effort offensively. He doesn't move without the ball hardly at all. And then when he gets the ball most of the time he's just massaging it.

He has football player stamina. He's a short burst athlete.

I said this a few years ago.

It may have something to do with his asthma.

 

Not when your team is struggling this bad and your season is slipping way.

 

Fine, play him less if he commits on both ends of the floor. A superstar can play decent defense and elite offense for 40 minutes a night. He clearly is no Lebron or Kobe.

 

The truth is this guy cannot win by himself evn if he had right attitude about playing, which he obviously doesn't. The team needs another go to guy who can score consistently.

 

Good thing Jordan didn't have that kind of mentality.

 

If you're out of gas you're out of gas. He needs his minutes cut. It's pathetic he's got to play 40 minutes just so we don't lose by 20

 

He's tired now? Thibodeau hasn't even entered the picture yet.

 

Agree 100% RV6. You can't pace yourself and decide what side of the ball your going to play hard on. Not a good sign if he's making this excuse at only 26 years of age.

 

Yeah.... he can already be tired/exhausted..... he is playing nearly 10% more minutes than everyone else in the NBA and also carrying a huge (possibly the biggest) offensive load in the league.

I am not claiming that Harden cannot improve his defense, or that he doesn't deserve credit...... but the point that he is playing too many minutes and that it makes it harder is a valid point.

The problem is that the Rockets cannot afford to sit him so it is a vicious circle.

 

Exactly This

 

So if he plays D, we'll be -17.8 offensively?????


Terrible logic, Sam. If the man actually D'd up, we'd get more stops and more runouts and we'd likely increase our offensive efficiency over and above what it already is with him on the floor.