What about the plays right after the timeout with 14+ seconds left, and Harden hold it for 8s and jack up a 3? That's either exactly what the coach wants, or the team doesn't execute at all
Chicken and egg Players would move more if they felt Harden would actually pass it Both at fault, vicious cycle. Playing Beverley for long minutes almost inevitably results in this
God I wish harden was not ready to play until the playoffs when we won that 2 in row without him... that was some beautiful and entertaining basketball...
I wish too as someone given excuse that he was still injury recently. We blow two teams in a row. When Harden came back, we struggle with worst teams in the league.
Maybe I'm getting old and don't remember every play from every game anymore, but I don't recall the ISO being the primary play for any game. It's been used, certainly, but these threads make it sound like that's all we do all the time. Is it because it's glaringly bad when it fails? Is it because Harden has done it late in games? Is it just a massive joke now? The ISO play in itself is a staple for a team with a player that has a matchup advantage. Harden has that advantage almost every night. It's easy to forget how he was blowing by people for layups all year, simply because he hasn't been doing it as much lately. The Rockets offense has two basic scoring philosophies: Three point shots and drives to the rim. Very little mid range game. Someone earlier accused Harden of having no mid range game. I guess no one on the team does, because you hardly ever see mid range shots. It's the offense, not the player. Hell, Harden won the Spurs game on a mid range shot. So, back to the ISO. If I'm in an ISO and I beat my man off the dribble, what's the plan? Take to the rim? Draw contact? Hit a cutting player? Pass out for a three? Wait for a help defender and hit his man for a dunk? Lots of options, right? To me the play calling isn't as much of an issue as the execution of the play. Harden has been making some bad choices lately.
Reminds me of the Francis/Mobley days with a tad more ball movement earlier in the clock instead of the dribble dribble dribble bad shot sequence Steve and Cuttino used to do on the regular. I hated watching that. That said...at least Harden gets calls and drives the lane with reckless abandon to get said calls.
We do that quite often especially near the end of the game. I agree when the offense is sticky and no other guys want to stand up, let Harden ISO. His ISO is mostly beat his man to dribble keep them on their heels so he can either make a 3 if given space or if his man is too close he will blow by with a drive to basket and either finish at the rim or draw a foul or dish out for 3 if the defense collapse on him. However, this doesn't work if the guy guarding him is an elite defender and it wastes too much at clutch times. If time is running out and we are behind, we should not run Harden ISO because it takes time off clock, but time to time when we behind with 2 or 3 points with 30 seconds left, Harden would ISO and waste 20 something seconds and brick a 3 and we had no chance to catching up. Problem of Harden's game is at clutch time, refs will not call fouls. He has to find a way to sink the ball, not to draw a foul, that is where his value drops from All Star to elite or above average. If he can't learn to not rely on his foul drawing abilities, he will never be the superstar we all think or hope he is.
a bit of a kneejerk i think i mean, harden is only 23 look at where francis, marbury and iverson were in their respective careers at age 23
I thought that too however watch the games when Harden was out. We are moving and cutting beautifully so the major difference is Harden I actually don't mind him isoing as he is the best scorer on our team and he should get the most shots. however when you watch other elite players, they would take those shots as the LAST option. Jordan would consistantly take these one on one ISOs but he did it when there was only 5 seconds on the shot clock as the other options didnt pan out Whats frustrating is Harden often doesnt give the offense a chance but will dribble, dribble, dribble and take a contested 3 pointer which usually results in a miss. He is still young but I am hoping like other great players, he can make his team mates BETTER. That is a sign of a great player
First off, that's not accurate. Jordan would score on his man and through double and triple teams if he thought he had the advantage. It had nothing to do with the shot clock. He'd fire up an open jumper with 20 seconds left if it was a good shot. I get what you're saying, but in regards to an ISO offense it's not all about the shot clock. Jordan's team mates also stood around a lot when he was doing his thing. He was creating for himself and others but even his team got caught up watching what he was going to do. I believe there's a little of this going on as well.
I don't mind Harden-ISO if: a) it's as effective as Melo-ISO; and b) it leads us to Ws. Unfortunately, neither is happening at this point.
