Isiah on Harden and Lin: Could be the best backcourt in the NBA

Harden/Lin may have overlapping skillsets, but their locations on the floor do not overlap.

It gives us the ability to slash and penetrate from either side of the floor.

Once Lin improves his 3PT shot it will be even more effective.

 

Not until PG be the PG........
and SG be the SG without lazy defense.

 

You might have a point. On the other hand, based on our improbable success in making the playoffs, can you please shut your f**king hole on the subject, at least until the playoffs are done? Thanks!

 

Both of their defense is below average so I really wouldn't factor that into whos the better player. Despite how varied Melos game is it translates to being less efficient than Harden, and even with respective positions Melo is a below average playmaker for his position while Harden is arguably the best at his.

 

Disagree. We tried that with TD and Beverley and IMO Harden was less efficient. Harden needs someone to run the point so he can pick his spots and not get tired out or figured out which we've seen nearly EVERY time he played too much point or iso. It's clear as day, I don't know why you guys aren't seeing it. He needs a pg to get everyone going so he can do his thing when he needs to, and he can demand it then. Asking him to get everyone involved and be the scorer is demanding too much from him and a bad bad coaching decision.

Another point, having a pg play good d has nothing whatsoever to do with Hardens defense!! Who's gonna guard the 6'6" SG? Beverley? Them who's guarding the 6' quick pg? Harden? What are you guys talking about??

The truth is and I'm sure most of the basketball heads out there know, that Lin could be a perfect compliment to Harden, and more importantly to our teams style of play. And both need to work on their defense.

 

The major deficiency in hardens offense is his reliance on free throws on his pe etrations. This is what ratchets up his efficiency. When he's not getting calls he usually struggles because his missed shots on being fouled are now counted as shot attempts or it is a turnover.

In the finals against Miami he didn't get whistles and struggled royally. He needs another go to move for when calls don't go his way

 

No, having a good PG defender is meaningless if your SG is gonna not defend opponent SG. What we need is, Harden to step on his defense big time, and let Lin carry more of the offensive load. We know Lin can create offense and penetrate, but most of the time, he defers to Harden to play offense.

If Harden plays some defense, he can't carry all the offensive load.

 

WTF? Is this not a forum dedicated to discussion?

 

It's not a question of the Pauli exclusion theory but rather of who gets to handle the ball.

 

Lin coming off the bench is a stupid idea. The problem with the rocket beside missing 4 is lack of true PG. Beside Lin, there is no PG in the team. Just compare the ball moving with Lin and W/o Lin in the game. Big different.

Unless Rockets can pick up a better PG, I do not see Lin coming off the bench any benefit to the team

 

Beverley averages almosts the same assists as Lin on a minutes equivilized basis so even though he's not the playmaker that lin is he can find the open man.

Lin is relatively turnover prone as is harden. Over 5 a game between them.

Also harden should be able to play make and score. He's a Max guy and we should expect more out of him especially if he is not playing defense. His minutes are not huge just 38 a game. Jordan Kobe drexler lebron and wade have had seasons where they played more mins than harden and shouldered a much larger burden - even multiple 40 minute plus seasons. And all of them scoring playmaking and defending.

 

You should read the recent grantland article on the evolution of NBA offenses.

 

While I'm as enthused for Lin/Harden as much as the next guy, I was watching GSW the other day. Thompson/Curry are POTENT. I still back Lin/Harden but Jeremy gonna need to step it up in the coming years if they're gonna keep pace.

 

I disagree completely about this. Wade coming out of college already had a very complete game. He was a good ballhandler as well as being good off the ball also; various parts of his skillset has been emphasized as his roles have changed from sidekick to Shaq (eventually surpassing the latter and becoming 1#), franchsie player and now back to sidekick. By natural skills I meant those skills that a player has really mastered and they are usually only a few in the vast repertoire of BBALL skills. Do I think that any player can learn a post game, making cuts and 3pt shooting? Yes. Is it possible that they can master all of them? Hell, No. All players have a few things they are really good at and this does not mean that they have yet to "learn" other skills to add to their NBA repertoire, it could be that they are just not good at them and never will be. Hence players are naturally good at some things and suck at others, Nature/Nurture.
Harden and Lin ballhandling abilities represent such a large part of their skillsets that sacrificing that part of their game like Wade (who is a much more complete player) would make them lesser players.As for Lebron, developing a post game was a "natural" progression in light of his size, athleticism and agility. People wanted to trade Wade their first years together but it was also acknowledged that if ever two ball dominant alpha players could work together, it would have to be Lebron and Wade due to their BBIQ and more importantly to the unprecedented scope of their skillsets.

 

Lin and Harden are both playmakers. The thing they will learn to do more of, if given the time, is playmaking off each other.

We already see flashes with the Lin/Harden pick&roll... but our whole offense is basically pick&roll. When we start expanding the types of plays we run (next season), those two together will be able to destroy teams.

 

Sorry but Golden State has a stronger guard duo than us. While Harden is alot better than Thompson, curry is alot alot better than Lin

 

Isiah Thomas is a tv analyst. It's not unreasonable to compare him to other tv analysts. His previous work just provides more context to the discussion.


As for announcers in general, they are homers who complain about refs, overpraise their own players, and mostly ignore the play of the other team. While they don't generally have a ton of criticism for the opponent, they usually have little praise to offer. I don't listen to a ton of opposing team broadcasts, but the ones I've heard this year feature more praise for Houston than any time I remember.

Denver is different. I don't know what Scott Hastings does with other teams, but over the years he's been extremely critical and dismissive of the Rockets.

 

Yeah, and you're part of it whenever Lin is involved.

 

He was one of the best. He may have been a horrible GM, but he was very great player.

 

Simple logic: Any team with two playmakers who can penetrate easily is a lot dangerous than one. Which one would you rather face? One-headed dragon or a two-headed one??