Multiple injuries and father time knocking on his door did him in. 2018 CP3 : huge difference maker 2019 CPE : meh
I think abandoning the Carmelo experiment 20 or so games in did some of the harm. I doubt Harden wanted him here. He's not a Morey-kind of a player, despite accounts of Morey wanting him since forever. I don't think T. Fertitta or his son pushed all that hard for him, and you know MDA and Coach B definitely weren't down. That leaves Paul. And the Rockets---rightly so---dumped the experiment fairly quickly. That had to sting, particularly if Paul was bugging people during that stint to get 'Melo more involved. Also, I like the observation @Mathloom made about Paul's fitness and weight. That for whatever reason, he came into this season a touch heavy and lacking fitness. I think both of those things, combined with being tentative about the hammys, and just being a year older, suffice to explain the observed decline.
Gotta agree with you on both counts. I'm in the camp that thinks the failed Melo experiment left a really sour taste in CP3's mouth, and magnified every other little problem he perceived with the team. When he returned from his injury and we were rolling along just fine on HardenSteamPower, I wonder if he started questioning his fit here. The fitness thing is nobody's fault but his own. An professional athlete should begin reassessing his diet and fitness before age 30, not a few years after.
I think if was there was beef developing between CP3s and Harden's vision of how the team should play, the strive about Carmelo could've only enhanced it. While your observation is true that the team kept chugging along with or without CP3, wasnt that true for all of the 'big 3?' And weren't the best WL percentages achieved when all of Paul, Harden, and Capela there? Honestly, I think he fit just fine, but sort of dug his own grave with constantly needling Harden about the need to do more without the ball in Harden's hands. He's right---as I'm afraid we'll see with Westbrook here---but Harden wasn't going to take that well when Harden carried the team for such of the season. 'Magnified perceived problems' is entirely correct. As to fitness, I don't understand it. These guys make so much that even a rookie deal should be able to afford a professional dietitian and chef for their meals, and an exercise person to maintain their fitness. (And a professional driver and bodyguard. Yet guys still get popped for acting the fool, with DUIs and the like) Inexcusable considering his experience and resources.
Why did CP3's play fall off last season? advancing age 70 vote(s) 71.4% tentative play due to the hamstring injuries 47 vote(s) 48.0% brooding over Melo's dismissal 10 vote(s) 10.2% ego clash with Harden 17 vote(s) 17.3% disagreements with MDA/Harden over offense approach 31 vote(s) 31.6% unhappy not being the unquestioned leader for the first time in his life 13 vote(s) 13.3% pressure of living up to that contract 11 vote(s) 11.2% still pissed about that damn microwave 14 vote(s) 14.3%
