If it is as the OP said, why should McHale bench Harden? Harden wasn't privy to the conversation McHale had with Lin. Harden was doing what he quite often does - take the ball from the back court into the front court. If McHale truly told Lin to run a particular play and LIN IMMEDIATELY IGNORED HIM AND THREW THE BALL TO HARDEN, it is Lin that should be benched.
Yet, McHale is returning as coach with Harden on the team. It's whatever. Obviously, McHale had a play in mind but if Harden wants the ball and doesn't do anything stupid with it and gets a good look, then whatever. I bet the play was to post up Howard anyway as that what the Rockets did all series in the 4th quarter. Lin could have easily dribbled the ball up court himself, he has done it before when Harden motions for him to give the ball to him. So it seems they were on the same page. Can we just stop with trying to dissect every play in hope to create controversy? I'm really getting tired of all the threads trying to put blame on this player or that coach or play. We lost as a team. Everyone has fault in the loss. We need to stop pointing the finger and trying to find someone to scapegoat this series loss. Obviously the Blazers were far more ready for us that we were for them and that goes way beyond the aspects of coaching as their player were the ones who wanted to send a message first. Rather than trying to send our own punch first, we played as we have for most of the season; waiting for the other team to send a punch first then trying to send one back. Well the Blazers sent a knock out punch and continued to strike first and harder thus we had little hope of staying in the fight.
Doesn't matter who ever isn't following through with what he is telling them to do should be disciplined... don't care who it is. Time to set a structure of order on this team no one has rings but Mchale. If this kind of things continue to happen which they will then how in the F do you or anyone else believe they will possibly win a championship? Championship teams have structure and order and discipline with the team and organization. Rockets seem to not care about it.
what are you people even debating here? This is a pathetic thread and utter knee jerk crap. Harden didn't wave off a play and throw up a 40' ill advised 3. He posted dwight and got and open look off the double team that he missed. We also got the offensive rebound on the play.
This is where I'll give McHale a little bit of leeway. The two players who arguably got away with the most amount of undisciplined or lazy play this past season were Harden and Parsons(particularly on defense). And a big reason why is because there was no one for McHale to play in their place. Garcia's a scrub unless the other team has the words "Oklahoma City" on their jerseys. Casspi was awful. And Daniels didn't enter the rotation until late in the season. I suppose Hamilton could've been used, but McHale apparently lost faith in him after just a handful of games. This offseason it's incumbent upon Morey to find adequate backups for both players. First, so they don't have to play so many damn minutes. And second, so McHale has the ability(assuming he also has the stones) to bench those guys in case they refuse to play D or execute on offense. If you recall, he actually did leave Harden on the bench for half of the 4th quarter in both Games 1 and 5 in the Portland series. So he's not unwilling to put his foot down if necessary as long as he someone he can play in place of them(in this case it was Lin).
Again, please transcribe exactly what McHale told Lin. No one in this thread has any idea of what the conversation was. It is a simple attempt by the OP to cast Harden in a bad light with no factual evidence. Just speculation. And, the ironic thing is, if anyone is at fault in this sequence (based on the OP's interpretation of the events), it is LIN. What are some ongoing factual examples of a lack of structure and discipline (i am not asking to cherry pick a particular example - that is evident on each and every team)?
McHale benched Lin in the last 1 second of the game. apparently because Lin preferred Harden's instruction rather than McHale :grin:
I don't agree with singling out Harden, but the point is that McHale was unhappy with the play before it even crosses the backcourt, which shows lack of discipline on who is in charge of the plays. It's been a recurring theme with the 'ball is sticky' comment, and is something that is definitely worth discussing. Too funny, flail vs wave hand... my god the lies we tell... someone show screen capture or didn't happen!!!
How do we know Harden was privy to what McHale instructed Lin? Or does that detail not matter, since it may throw a wrench in the narrative?
In the real world, flail means to move vigorously or to thrash about. Neither of those things happened in the video. He did wave his hand. Is anything I just posted a "lie"?
You know why. Apparently McHale doesn't call plays or coach....... then McHale does call plays but lazy Harden doesn't respect McHale's plays..... Really it all comes down to McHale and Harden being terrible at basketball... just horrible, terrible people.
I could be wrong but didn't harden feed Dwight in the post for 2. I find it hard to fault him for that play. Now his defense for the entire series... That's another story.
In the real world, whether a person waves off or flails both just means they are unhappy with what transpired. But it's fine I'm done with you, your welcome to hold on to that technicality all you want, us more intelligent people are trying to discuss why he is unhappy with a hand off play in the backcourt.
You know who used to ignore the play called by the coach and freelance? Boston Celtics superstar Kevin McHale.
If this is true, Lin is also a p***y for passing to Harden. Also, Harden passed to the post on the play. That's not really the move of a knucklehead. Harden chose to defy the coach to feed Dwight? Let me guess, Lin is being bullied by Harden. I can't wait to hear to phone call leaked to ESPN.
Bobrek pretty much gave you the Little Mermaid treatment...... feel free to post more often... really... you contributed a great deal to...... nothing.
