Are Hardens legs dead? Have we run our superstar into the ground due to heavy minutes over the years

I don't know what's going on, but this is not the same guy i saw in the first 7/8 games, i don't think it's a coincidence the Rockets were playing much better.

 

If you think harden is a lazy selfish statpadder, what do you think of Westbrook?

 

Trade him for Wiggins and Embiid

 

We got the W with a sub-par Harden on the floor.( who got a triple double) He did hit some clutch shots in the 4th like a superstar is suppose to do. Seems he was playing down to the kings level.
We can get by with this kind of performance against the bottom tier but we will need MVP Harden against the top dogs.

 

From China to now the rockets have been on the road like 75% of the last 2 months. It's catching up to harden.

Not to mention he's one of the NBA biggest stars and travels all over the world during the offseason for adidas/NBA.

Yes he's tired out but he's still playing winning basketball, he's closing out on shooters. He's making real effort in defense. His rebounding is fantastic, His passing is still top notch.

His shooting and TOs are a by product of being on the road a lot to start a season. I'm sure once the season calms down and we're not constantly on the road he'll get his shooting g back up to around 47-48% and his 3 ball back around 38%.

Remember harden is usually a slow starter to a season. This year he came out like gang busters. I get why he did also because it wa important for not only the team but himself to show everyone from us the fans to the national media that this was a very good team. It would have been real easy to blame the schedule if our record was reversed.

We're 10-6 on pace for 50+ wins and have played the most road games and the 3rd hardest schedule in the league.

The rockets haven't even hit their stride yet, this is a very good team.

And harden is avg 28/12/8 on over 60%ts. Can't really complain about him other than I would like to see him never get more than 5 tos in any game.

 

I blame Adidas.... damn those shoes...

 

I don't think he's hitting da clubs like last yr so hopefully it's not that bc I have a hard being sympathetic when he doesn't handle that bidness.

 

This thread will be funny the next time Harden goes on an absurd tear.

 

Spoiler

@FTW Rockets FTW , do you think being around Daryl "greasy cheeseburger" Morey & Keith "cream soda" Jones has helped or hurt Harden?

 

Be ready for a triple chinned Harden

 

I'm one of those who thinks that Harden should be playing fewer minutes if the game is in hand. I want him fresh for the playoffs. It doesn't hurt to think about that relatively early in the season.

 

This is the ideal situation but the problem with this is that the game is pretty much never "in hand" with the Rockets. The team falls off a cliff without Harden in the game.

 

Harden makes the Rox RELEVANT...glad to see his teammates step up on an off night triple double..triple double on an off night....jeez

 

Absurd tear 82/82 plus all playoff games or get the **** out.

 

This team is still coming together. Bev just came back. We have a new coach and some key players that are new. I'm hoping that eventually the Rocks will be able to take care of business when they have a large lead against a mediocre team and James is getting some well deserved bench time. We'll see. Don't think I didn't get your point.

 

It really is quite something that people expect flawless basketball from James Harden each and every night.

 

Spoiler

Harden: Daryl, we just got the W, I deserve a nice steak with A1 sauce...
Keith Jones: James, we got a flight to catch to go back home. Let's save it for next time.
Maury: Don't worry Keith, I got this. Hey James, let's make a quick stop at McD's for a juicy greasy triple cheeseburger and large fries..
Harden: I still prefer my steak, Daryl
Murray: James, we got to save those $$ for future flexibility.
Keith Jones: I have some coupons that give you a free 32 OZ. cream soda for every triple cheese burger and fries order
Daryl & Harden: Let's do it.

And they lived fatter and happier ever after.

 

I don't normally support him, but hard to give that much of a crap night in and out when the FO isn't serious about winning.

 

joke or not, this **** is serious. harden play way too many minutes since he's been here and ariza/bev all their tme here. and if the trend continues, so will anderson.we have a bench, they dont use it fully

 

He's alright.

Like every pro, Harden plays in different gears, and luckily for us, his style of play should keep him healthy in the long run. James intentionally plays with a lower center of gravity. His strength starts in his lower body and peaks in those "foul creator" shoulders. He may get tired, like any pro can become, but he's likely just pacing himself throughout games by playing low to the ground, UNTIL it's absolutely necessary for him to elevate over a defender or explode to the rim for a layup.

Gears..

Westbrook (as much as I can't stand the guy) is the best example of a player showing different gears throughout the course of 48 minutes, or however much OKC demands of him to play. Obviously, Westbrook's primary "gear" of play is significantly faster than James' style, and moreover, Russ prefers to play "above" his defender, especially when he finds an open lane. However, Russ will play at his typical, above-average pace, and then suddenly start to play in a GEAR that is arguably the fastest in the league. It's like he'll run a play with Stevie Franchise's "bunny steps" and then find an ungodly speed that accelerates him through the air, or throughout the paint, for a Darry "Chocolate Thunder" Dawkins dunk. So, when Russ slows down, it's not necessarily fatigue (doubtful for such an athletic freak of nature like he is),but more of him determining the right gear to finish a play.

I don't wish injury on anyone (with the exception of former Jazz players named Satan Malone, Lucifer Stockton, Devil Ostertag, etc...) but Russell Westbrook plays at gears that will shorten his career or possibly lead to career-impacting injuries. Aside from the incident with our HtownHero in PatBev, Russ has already suffered major and minor injuries from playing above the rim , suddenly playing at a gear that his body isn't ready for (naturally) or continually taking shots where the Bigs play and punish the guards. Again, Stevie Franchise is a fair example of playing at gears that shortened his career (if you put the drug/distraction rumors aside for a moment). How many times did we watch him go for a layup and end up landing awkwardly--or not landing at all--all the while holding our breaths in anxiety of a season-ending injury? I can't count.

James has his flaws, but I have to give him a ton of credit for logging big minutes night after night and protecting his body through these gears that keep him low, stable and stronger than 99% of the competition. He may look tired, or, I guess disengaged as some have suggested, but I'd argue that he's saving his body for that 4th quarter gear or, as we can sadly anticipate with this roster, the moment where he is isolated against a taller defender for the most important shot of the game. He'll have to switch gears to score over, or through, one or more defenders as the shot clock dwindles down to a classic Beardin' game-winner, or a brick from being FORCED to do so much for a Rockets' win. Thankfully, James has played what may be his best season so far.

Gears...James has at least 10 different speeds and styles. I have even identified a "TURNOVER Gear" that resembles a a combination of play from Javale McGee/Royce White/Swaggy P/Errormy Lin/Ricky Davis.