If you don't think Harden is an elite playmaker then you've barely watched any of the games. I've seen almost every minute of this season and I'm still shocked about how many clutch shots he's made to help us win.
Because it distracts from the team that most of us here care more about than any one individual who plays for it.
BINGO...How should Harden supposed to score if he doesn't get the ball? That's why our coaching staff gives most of the ball handling to Harden because without it, they are afraid that they will be exposed on how limited the Rockets are in terms of offensive plays...Our Coaching staff failed miserably in this area...they let Harden do all the hard work because they can't come up with some sets that could benefit most of the players and not just one of them... Or maybe they have them but our players can't execute them? whose fault is that then? Lin ? he is only their PG 1/3 ( sometimes 1/4 ) of the 48 minutes they play? Who should be accountable? Let me guess, by some logic of some people, It will be LIN...Lin needs to adjust his game..he should learn to play off the ball since he is not a superstar...Lin needs to shoot more..Lin needs to defend better...Lin needs to learn how to drive on his left...Lin needs to shoot 3's consistently...Lin needs to take care the ball..Lin needs to limit his turnovers...Lin needs to penetrate...Lin should stop being tentative on his drive to the basket...Lin needs to select his shots..Lin should stop being too passive...Lin needs to be consistent... Everything is all about him that it's funny sometimes... People tend to forget that Lin's game are always evolving...he is so far been in 4 stages in my personal count.. 1. Harvard - He was the SG..he was tasked to shoot..he excelled... 2. Pre-Knicks ( Linsanity ) - when he enters NBA, his position changed to PG...GSW cuts him because ( own opinion ) they thought that he is not an effective PG given his background at Harvard and between some other players who was a PG prior to their NBA debut and him, he should be the one to go...I think that was also what happened to the Rockets when they waived him... 3. Linsanity - he was tasked to be a PG with a mentality of an SG...He controls the Offense as well as he was tasked to score..people had the misconception that he was a selfish player because of that...during that stretch, people learn that Lin is an excellent PnR...a PG that penetrates...a PG that can create havoc to the defenses..a PG that can take over a game if needed...a PG with a very high BBIQ...a PG any team would want.. 4. Rockets ( 2nd time around ) - a PG in paper only...cannot be the SG ( can't take Harden's job and Lin fans will go berserk if he'll come off the bench ).....Limbo state....can't take a lot of shoots...can't afford to have a lot of turn-overs...no set plays to execute..not allowed to free style... So after this, what should Lin do next? If someone from here knows any current NBA players right now who undergoes the same "evolution" as him, please enlighten me as a Lin fan so that I won't feel so ****ty every time this happen..at least I have someone to compare him with...thanks
Yeah, I think Lin's in a tough spot...he's best when he controls the ball like a SG who only passes when the defense collapses on his drives to the basket. He really doesn't fit into our system.
Then people should also criticize the Team instead of that said individual...If the Lin fans will say something about the Coach ( see team ), the response they would get is because they only care about Lin...If we say something about Harden and his ISO's, people will say that we only care about Lin...it will go on and on until you're not sure what the main topic anymore.. So then, can you blame the Lin fans if the discussion sometimes became unbearable...We say something about the team, they will always find a way to criticize Lin fans because of that opinion....and if the thread becomes unbearable to them they will curse the Lin fans and accused us for talking about him and not the team...the original thought was already buried under the overwhelming barrage of opinions that both had participated..see what I mean... As a Lin fan, I tend to keep quiet here in the board when Lin's game are so bad that even me as a fan has no way to defend him...but I can't stay quit when people are already making unfair accusations against us and at Lin's game..If you let those people say those things without contradicting, others might think that what those people were saying are true..it also goes the other way around...that's why this is called a discussion board..
He did against OKC. His troubles are almost totally McHale's fault. He got taken out in the 1st Q yesterday and sat 10 MINUTES even though he and the team were playing well. Outrageous treatment.
What does one has to do with the other? Now if you are saying that Harden is an elite scorer, then I agree fully and I think that only Lebron and KD are better than him in this respect. But to make plays in the point guard sense? Nah.
I looked at the box score. I think the Lakers are at a complete advantage to go into the playoffs. Even during the toughest of games, they only play players a max of 38 minutes, if rarely. I'm looking at the Rockets box score, they're running Harden to the ground. Who in their right mind plays a player 42 minutes after a game when they hurt their knee. Also, why are you playing the starting PG 25 minutes!?!? You pay a player 8 million so they play, you don't see Deron Williams getting 25 minutes a game. The magic starting PG got 33 minutes, why is Lin getting less minutes although his stat sheet was pretty good. I wouldn't be surprised now to see the Rockets in 9th by the end of the season with the way the rotation has been. Also, T-Rob was such a big hype he's terrible, I don't see anything impressive to make him an All-Star.
I just wanted to say as much as Dmo played bad defence, so did there PF, not only that there starting PF ended up with zero rebounds, and Dmo still needs 1season worth of experience to show decent defence.
If you have seen almost every minute of Rockets' games this season, I'm surprise you have not noticed how many TOs he committed during crunch times. In any case, how does making clutch shots correlate to playmaking? Melo, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, just to name a few, are well-known for making clutch shots during crunch times. Are they elite playmakers? This is not a knock on Harden. As I've said in my post, he is an excellent & efficient scorer, elite among his peers. But as i've explained in my earlier post, he is not an elite playmaker.
I think you're making sweeping generalizations that aren't well supported. This board doesn't shy away from criticizing any one. From the GM to the coach to the bench...
I actually think that he could really fit into our system...If the Coach would allow him to..Lin is not a selfish player..he won't take the scoring option of his team-mates..he just needs to be their offense executor and not someone relegated into a corner like a scarecrow...Lin spotting up a 3' does not scare the opponent at all..heck, they knew that Lin is not an efficient 3 point shooter...even fans knew this.. If they've just let him be the executor, then all will be roses and red for Rockets and their Coaching staff..Lin fans will not bombard them with questions anymore...all will be appeased...What baffles me is why they won't do that..What is it with him that they won't allow him to be the PG of the team...If they allow Delfino, Bev and Doug to be the PG, then why can't they do that with him...
Who cares about Lin and stuff right now. He's not the Problem. We freaking score in the 100s every game. Its the D and the subs. If the rockets can fix the the Defense to be better then we will be good to go.
Also, I dont know why people are bashing Lin or Harden, they are the two that are keeping the game not from getting out of hand. Its the bench and PF position that's getting demolished. Look at how Okafor was able to score effortlessly in the Washington game with 3 blocks and 11 rebounds and Ariza just demolished anyone defending him. I'm more upset at how weak the PF is and T-Rob has not proven himself any better so far than P.Pat(who had a decent game against the Spurs).
Some good points. Comprehensive and accurate review providing us with a more complete framework for evaluation on Lin. Elegantly presented.
That's why I don't understand..when 2012'rs will criticize the Coaches, our star player, the PF's , the bench , and even the commentators, the end result of that discussion will always be because we are Lin fans...and the end result is, people here will hate us because they were led to believe that we only care about Lin and not the team... I can say these things because I've spent most of my time lurking here at the board that being outside...I've read most of the knee-jerked rxn's and lively exchanges of insights from all sides..but the end results will always be about Lin and his fans....just like now....funny right? Just what some other poster has mentioned before...Harden is the star of this team but Lin shines brighter..in both good and bad ways...
As much as people have been complaining about PPat's and Morris' defense, we are seeing even worse defense from TRob and DMo. And about 20 Points per game less from the PF position. I hope Morey's pre-trade calculations would be accurate so the dip in win/loss would not cost us too many games to miss the playoffs.
