Expect a big game from Harden tonight. I'm easily taking the over on Harden's 30.5 point total on fanduel. He just plays so much better when he is able to dominate the ball and have more opportunities to control the offense. Harden had a big game last month when KD was out as well (though he didn't shoot well). I also predicted it prior to the game and took the over on his points total that game. He ended up scoring 36. As for which team will win. I've no clue there.
That's pretty ridiculous, you are basing this on the fact that they aren't doing well this season since their best player has missed time.... The point isn't to tank till you win, it's tank till you get a franchise caliber player. If the Rockets had Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown just entering their primes, the situation would be VERY different. When you have franchise players, you build around them....the Rockets have no one like that to build around.
How soon after they drafted him did Celtics realize they had franchise player in Tatum? Serious question.
Maybe the key is to have no uncontested looks for Patty Mills. The Rockets D needs to find him on every play. That and don't reach against Harden...I think we all know how that will turn out.
You're definitely right about Mills. Dude is going to Cassell, Horry, Ellie some poor team in the playoffs. Who's the worst perimeter defenders on the Rockets? (I havent been following the team.) Expect Harden to hunt (&kill) those mismatches repeatedly with screens until he gets the right switch.
Probably pretty quickly, he was pretty damn good in the playoffs for them at 19 years old, I think between him and Jaylen Brown they probably figured they were set for the future.....but then again they never tanked, they just ended up with 2 consecutive #3 overall picks. That's fairly rare and not easy to pull off.
Pretty close to immediately. Tatum was an impact player in the playoffs his rookie year. The kid avg 18 points on 58% TS in a deep playoff run. Ideally you'd want high lottery picks to develop like Tatum and not like Lavine who didn't become become all-star untill last season, his 7th year in the league.
This might call for the old Hakeem strategy some teams employed. Clamp down on the role players, if dream scores 50 it’s fine just keep rest of the team to 50 or less.
I think Harden will come out - but if we put Tate on him, and Mathews - he is going to shoot a poor percentage....with Durant and Aldridge out - well......I don't want to say. DD
lol the best part is they werent even set for the future, because we saw the future and its bleak...these 2 didnt even sniff the finals regardless of how much help they had.... and they gonna win nothing again this year...they better tank to surround these 2 with some real talent.... 10th seed right now lololol this better be a stealth thank Why celtics are the best proof tanking doesnt work?
nice! btw imho the best way to stop harden is to make him into 3pt shooter...hes not a good 3pt shooter and will end up shooting 1-19 before he stops shooting...shut down the drives and let him shoot
.... they did make the playoffs last year though. The Celtics have missed the playoffs like 5 times since 2000. They currently have made the playoffs 7 straight seasons and only missed them once in the last decade. They are in a considerably better spot than the Rockets now and will be for the foreseeable future.
