[rquoter]The Rockets have trailed at the end of the first quarter in 13 consecutive games. This is not because of a lack of preparation. Game plans only work if players execute them. Defensive strategies all require effort. The Rockets do not play with that level of focus and intensity until they fall behind, so they fall behind every night and try to rally to wins. The lack of urgency to start games gives opponents a head start. At two games under .500 and in their toughest road trip of the season, they might want to bring their best when the games begin, rather than when they are pushed to the brink of a blowout. Either that, or they can keep saying the losses are not about how they start. Their 58 missed 3s in the past two games were three off the franchise record, five missed 3-pointers from matching the NBA record for misses over two games. But making a passable 9 of 25 in the second half should not lead them to rely on those 3s any more than Pat Beverley's last minute 3-pointer on Wednesday. The Rockets will still take 3-pointers within the offense, as all teams should. But they don't have to take the first shot they find. Three-pointers are not worth more when taken in the first six second of the shot clock. It's one thing for a top shooter to take those shots. Rockets shooters either failing to hit 30 percent this season or in the midst of a shooting slump that chases the worst in league history don't have to take those early looks. They can run offense in search of better shots and still have time left to miss a 3-pointer. http://goo.gl/EA4a8u[/rquoter]
Both very good points! The first 2 bolded parts are things that frustrate me to death. And the suggestion is what most can agree with. Just run the offense, the first available three is almost never the best shot.
Harden can't be the guy who does it all. A lot of times Harden knows he'll be tired by the second half because he knows he has to do everything. Dwight should be dominant in the first half, leaving Harden to finish the game off and what you saw fromt he Rockets laast night was a true effort to get him the ball but it just goes no where, he is not a low post player. He often just passes it out and that doesn't count as a touch so people assume he's not getting the ball. He's just not an all star anymore. Without all star Dwight this team is barely a playoff team because no one can get their own shot but Harden. Parsons, Lin, Patterson, were all able to get buckets.
Of course he can. He has to. And when it doesn't work everything is all his fault. You know the rules.
Your best players are the last ones back on defense. That is some great leadership! <iframe src="https://itsovertime.com/p/28P/embed/simple?autoplay=1" width="600" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe>
Harden doesn't play D every possessions? or maybe just a couple of possessions you've seen him lose his man?
Don't we have a game in about 4 hrs? Where is the game thread? Has Clutch thrown in the towel? :grin:
Nah, he is just too excited with the way the season has gone. Giddy with glee at the moment - every time he tries to post the game thread he types Craptors by mistake and has to delete. He'll calm down soon enough, but today's game is sure to have him salivating over the prospect of a championship and shaking with delight all over again.
Man not sure if I like this statement below. could have said a number of things without singling out everybody but himself. "It wasn't even the slow start," said guard James Harden, who had 24 of his 36 points in the second half. "We got back in the game and took the lead in the second quarter. It was the beginning of the fourth quarter. We cut it to an eight-point lead, and they went on a 9-0 run. It's tough to withstand that against any team, especially a good team. "Eliminate things like that when we give up 9-0 runs, and we'll be all right." Just so happens that the 9-0 run was when harden was not in the game right?
No one could blame him if he did. Our team threw in the towel a long time ago. Most disappointing season as a Rockets fan.
We'll be alright. We'll be fine. We'll be alright. We'll be fine. James keeps telling himself/trying to convince himself of that. You missed the playoffs. We'll be alright. We'll be fine. You had 13 turnovers. We'll be alright. We'll be fine. You lost your 7th game in a row. We'll be alright. We'll be fine. Too much A1 on that steak. We'll be alright. We'll be fine. P.S. The Bulls aren't a "good" team James. KD: “If we want to be a great team, we’re fooling ourselves,” Durant said afterward. “If we want to be a great team, we’re fooling ourselves with the way we’re playing. We’re fooling ourselves. If we want to win a bunch of games in the regular season, then that’s cool, but we’re fooling ourselves the way we’re playing … There’s just no discipline. We’re playing too loose. We’ve got to be better.” JH: We'll be alright. We'll be fine. [You're 2 games under .500:] “We’re really good."
He's already regarded as a team cancer. You want him to throw the team under the bus? Harden isn't the type to air out dirty laundry in public.
Love Harden, but I do have a problem with his leadership and the "it's fine house on fire." Would love to see more self awareness about the desperation and urgency of the situation. He can grow from this.
Seriously thought what the hell is Dwight doing here? It's like he's literally telling Chicago where to drive?
Exactly that. Playing traffic director for E'Twaun Moore(?). He's driving! He's driving! Terry was closest but then would have left his man wide open in the corner. Howard & Harden were beat getting back. Terry on Dunleavy in the corner Gibson shielded Smith so Moore had the easy layup Ariza irrelevant
