Harden fixed his turnovers issue by getting more assists but the TO's are still a problem

No biggy, its easy to play defense on these dudes. Just let them drive the paint because they always miss the open layups or get their shots blocked.

 

But instead we get the craptastic threesome of you, BigMaloe, and D-Rock posting back-to-back-to-back like some sort of siamese triplets all conjoined to the same fart chamber.

 

Every politician is voting himself or herself which is legit.

But it does not look good.

 

another 8 turnover game, we are doomed with this kind of Harden

 

as long as its not 13 i am happy

 

is it his fault that his teammates are missing wide open shots he sets them up with?

 

I fixed my ___x___ issue by ___y____, but ___x____ is still a problem. So is the problem solved?

 

Two unknowns requires two equations to solve.

 

Rather than start a new thread about the dreaded turnovers, I thought this one would serve the purpose. I was at the game on Saturday and although I thought the refs made some poor calls, I think Harden needs a reality check too!

I'm not sure how many turnovers he had but it appears to me, he thinks when he has the ball, it's his and nobody is suppose to take it. When he brings the ball down the court,.he doesn't look behind him and he dribbles high. And when the defender tries to take it from him, he falls down and cries foul, relying on the refs to save him. The refs are showing now, they are not going to call those fouls in the playoffs.

These are basic Junior High Point Guard plays.....you have to protect the ball!

 

He does seen pretty entitled to having space to dribble. For some reason he things it's illegal for defenders to press him .he needs to be shaken out if that mentality. Good thing we have CP3.

 

FTFY

 

Just have CP3 bring the ball up and setup the players in the last 7 minutes of the 4th quarter. For some reason, Harden does not protect the ball as well at the end of games, leasing to costly turnovers.

 

I've been to numerous games this year and with Harden handling the ball, it's more hit or miss! I've made mention of the same thing but just putting the ball into Paul's hands the last 5 mins of the 4th qtr, thus not cutting Harden's play making ability and wearing down CP3.

But with Harden prone to having numerous games like what we saw on Saturday, it starts at the beginning of the game and leads through out. It's like he gets fixated on challenging the refs to make calls, rather than adjusting.

 

Whatever the problem, I hope MDA and the players find a solution to pestering defenses because we can be sure we will seem a lot of them. 4-5 fourth quarter turnovers could spell trouble for us.

 

The only way we win a championship is for Harden to keep his turnover average down to very close to 4 or less a game in the playoffs. There's simply not that much room for error against quality opponents.

I'm discounting these turnovers a little bit right now though. Rockets have locked up everything they can. It's time to prep for the playoffs.

I'm sure Harden is doing a degree of experimenting in these games, taking on more double teams and seeing what he can do in situations that will like present themselves in the playoffs.instead of simply passing out.

So, although I recognize turnovers as an important hallmark of championship capacity, you have to also recognize the situation we're currently in. I'm not putting much stock in anything that happens in these remaining games other than injuries. Because it's experiment time in the lab, in front of a live audience.

 

Harden's turnovers are down overall and that is a good thing (I feel like the subtitles for Wind in his Hair, "Dances with Wolves").

I love the guy and am glad we have him. But, yes, sometimes he does still go full r****d with the 8 turnovers things.

Never go full r****d.

 

Right now the Rockets are 11th in the NBA in fewest turnovers per game as a team.

They are one half of turnover a game away from being in the top 3 for lowest turnovers.

The Rockets are turning the ball over 10% less than last year.

The teams better than the Rockets at protecting the ball are all poor offensive teams.

The Warriors turn the ball over almost 20% MORE than the Rockets this season.

Indeed, basically the Rockets and Warriors have flipped their respective turnover positions over the last year.

In short, the Rockets have not had a turnover problem this season.

 

I think you can't look at team totals when discussing this issue. We are speaking of a certain instance where it becomes an issue.

I'm sure you've seen plenty of games this season but this team does have a problem with turnovers especially Harden when the opposing team decides to press Harden. He often gets frustrated and believes any form of a press should be called a foul when in actuality it's just solid defense. Harden gets frustrated, stops moving his feet and starts using his arms to push and when he gets stripped he just lays on the floor staring at the ref thinking he got fouled. This happened multiple times this season.

It's a concerning issue because we all know in the playoffs, teams are going to do this in the 4th and it can cost us leads.

Hardne needs to learn how to quickly pass off of presses abd his teammates need to learn how to run towards Harden for him to have an angle to quickly pass it off.

 

This is false. It is more about total turnovers by the team, not a single player.

Especially when you have different usage rates for different players.

Magic Johnson has twice won NBA Championships while averaging 4 or more turnovers a game.

Dwayne Wade average 4 turnovers a game when the Heat won their first title.

Steph Curry was right around 4 one of his title runs.

I am sure there are more, I just remember those off the top of my head.

Obviously James Harden cannot have an endless amount of turnovers, but that is liking say James Harden has to shoot over 35% for the Rockets to win a title. It is essentially meaningless information.

What is more accurate is to say that the Rockets cannot consistently lose the turnover battle and expect to win a title.

A little bit? Almost all the teams that have wrapped up their seeding have seen their turnovers go up when they are not playing for anything.

Perhaps, or it could simply be that he, like the players on all the other teams with locked in seeding, is not as focused.

I agree with you.

This season the Rockets protected the ball well.

 

You absolutely can look at team totals to address the issue. If it was a real issue for the Rockets, teams would be pressing and doubling James Harden all the time. Doubling or pressing an elite player is nothing new, it isn't some new strategy. In fact, teams this season have tried to double and press James Harden and the Rockets have won the match ups.

The idea that teams will magically be able to press and double him now, when they couldn't in the regular season is false.

What happens is selective bias. When there is a turnover, or the pressure works; it stands out. It doesn't stand out when the proper pass is made or Harden scores. The reality is that it has not overall been beneficial for teams to press or double Harden because the Rockets have adjusted accordingly and made other teams pay.

Having said that, there is no guarantees in the playoffs. James or Paul or anyone else can have a bad series. Harden could average 8 turnovers a game, or Paul can average 6 in a short series. Paul could be terrible from 3, and shoot 20% and we lose. Paul or/and James could get hurt. However, singling out the doubles and pressure on Harden is a bit bizarre. There are other possibilities that are as possible, or more possible and likely to be more fatal.

What if Harden shoots 35% in a series or Harden and Ariza go cold from 3? What if a team exploits the Rockets inside. What if a team shoots 40% from 3 and the Rockets shoot 33%?