The Benching of James Harden by the Coach Kevin McHale

Too bad he couldn't pull an MJ. Anybody else catch that podcast when Jalen all but said MJ's "flu game" = hungover?

 

If you go back and watch the replay, on atleast 3 different defensive sets Harden refuses to go with Reddick and and just allows Reddick to make a flex cut and a great passer like Paul took full advantage of t. Reddick was just working Harden off the ball and Harden wanted no part of it.

 

hangover I II III IV V VI

 

he went to his folks and stuffed himself with good gravy food like Manu's sausage in Delfino's case...

It had worse side effects

 

I don't know about hangover. Perhaps the Clippers simply have Harden's number. The only time he played against the Clippers last season was at TC and he was pretty bad too.

15 Jan 2013 @ TC
23Pts. 8-20 FG, 2-9 3P, 5-6 FT, 4 Reb, 3 Ast, 4 PF, 1 Stl, and 5 TO

5 Nov 2013 @ Staples
15Pts. 6-16 FG, 0-7 3P, 3-5 FT, 2 Reb, 5 Ast, 2 PF, 0 Stl, and 2 TO

 

Many Rockets have poor games. It happens. It happens a lot, but only homerun hitters like D-Mo get benched for them consistently. Let's face it, McHale only sees what he wants to see most of the time. It's not just with players, but with strategies and everything else. The man makes up his mind before he interprets the results, so he mostly only sees what he wants to see. Things which obviously work and things which obviously don't work matter little to him. What's real to him is what's already inside his head.

Rare moments of clarity take little away from his almost always selective vision.

 

this. but mchale gonna be mchale.

 

Something's bugging Harden this game. McHale benched him so he could have another chance tomorrow.

He's still not fully healed from his knee/ankle/back. So chasing Redick probably would just aggravate that. And he kept shooting from the outside 'cuz he doesn't want to bang with Griffin or Jordan.

You could call him smart in a way. When he saw Howard also struggling, he probably said, "wth, I'm saving his effort for a more winnable game."

 

What is PnR? it is not in Mchale's directionary

 

First time McHale hold Harden accountable for his lack of effort , i hope this will wake Harden up , this team got no chance of winning if our best player play like as if he don't care.

 

naah, he also did that one game last season.

no biggie, sometimes harden can have a good 2nd half or 4th quarter after bad shooting, but this game he was bad overall.

 

if i'm not wrong , he benched all the starters in that game last season , but only Harden was benched last night , hell of a statement from McHale compare to last season imo.

 

So after stinking up the place with his inexistent D for three quarters McSuccess finally hold Haren accountable, with the game truly out of reach? Harden must give more efforts on defense. It's the same criticism that was thrown at him last season and he talked big, promising to improve in the offseason. It's high time for him to back up his words with real improvements on D now that there isn't even that BS excuse of him shouldering the load of scoring ( in a top three offense no less ) that came up all the time last season. He now has legitimate help in the form of the best center in the NBA.
The problem is that there is really no way to "hide" him on D especially against elite teams full of great shooters. Until he improves, the Roxs will always run the risk of being lit up by some random scrub on any night. Unless of course we actually lived in the LOHs alternate bizarro universe where Beverley can stop an elite PG while defending the 2 spot at the same time.

 

It's not like the best Center in the NBA is an offensive machine himself.

 

Oh, I really don't think that Howard is all that on offense ( he is hot garbage if he is not operating in the PNR). Just that the already BS excuse of Harden shouldering the load of Atlas has been somehow rendered even more stupid.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p>Nope. Backups played better, then game out of hand. MT <a href="https://twitter.com/AirOmar22">@AirOmar22</a>: <a href="https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Feigen">@Jonathan_Feigen</a> Was harden hurt? is that why he didnt comeback into game</p>&mdash; Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Feigen/statuses/397628359087095808">November 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

We are 3 and 1 with a revenge game soon. Focus should be beating the snot out of the blazers then dishing out some double la ass whooping.

 

Are you thinking it's some kind of a 115 curse thing?

January 15 ==》 1.15
November 1 ==》 11.5

Creepy...

 

They say as a player he knew how he wanted to play against certain players before he even stepped onto the court. Perhaps as a coach he sees his own players a certain way before they even step out onto court, and plays them according, whether right or wrong. At least he's decisive?

 

Really disappointed Harden and Howard shriveled under the bright lights. I hope they remember this game next week when the Clips come to town, I was certain we could run with them, but maybe not.

Poor entry post passing/ally oops. Horrendous defense. Inexcusable free throw shooting.

Anyone else have a problem with the officiating? Don't have the statsvin front of me, but it sure felt one sided, particularly when the game would get close.

Don't know why this game is bothering me so much.