Matt Bullard: The Rockets needed a closer, that's why they have CP3

CP3 is clutch AF

Glad we have him.

 

Well he did bring up the ball for the last four plays. Teachable moment, I'd say.

You can't coatride on this team... unless your name is Ryan Anderson.

 

Ouch harden offended
I hope cp3 taught harden something (heart) today instead of choking into 4 double teams in a row

 

SIGH - looks like they were right, Harden and Paul can't play together.

Time to call a spade a spade.

DARYL THERE'S ONLY ONE BALL SHEESH

 

Someone doing their best scarecrow impression.

 

@Progs not fooling anyone with this thread throwing shade at James Harden. Conspicuous AF, Bruh.

I don't care how they do it.. just win it..

 

Chris Paul has shown that he is never afraid of the moment. Certain players are born for the big moment and Paul is one of them.

I don’t think James is afraid either but it’s not as natural for him than it is for Chris. He’s going to have to go through lows before experiencing the highs.

 

We got CP3 and the Beard. We should be able to close games. They've done just fine this year

 

wait.....WHAT?

I feel lied to.

 

Bull be talking just to talk....its almost his job.

 

Harden is prone to turnovers and risks too much sometimes. His FT shooting in particular to close out has been shockingly bad this year. For the rest he’s been better than years past.

CP3 is more of a natural and traditional PG leader, steady, calm and much less TO prone. Both have had choke and clutch moments- playoffs and regular season- and this year they’ve taken turns. Bullard is somewhat right for sure, but it’s not black and white.

 

Harden is the main guy when we're playing our most efficient offense for the majority of the game (3's, alley oops, free throws), but when we're trying to protect a lead the ball belongs in CP3's hands, because Harden won't get those foul calls as much late, and CP3 is just better at hanging on to the ball and has the mid-range game to insure we always get at least a decent shot off late in the game.

 

Already said this in other threads -- cp3 is the guy to go to in moments when things are stagnant (aka tonight when we couldn't hit a shot but refused to drive to the basket or post up) and to close out games. Sometimes we just need 2 points...no sense in over thinking it. He finds 2 points like I find change in my couch. Easy money. His level of chill is reassuring.

 

THIS

 

Maybe its just me but I think being "Clutch" is overrated AF. How can you really whether a guy is clutch or not vs him just being a good player? Sure some guys are massive chokers and mess up the big moment but most superstars perform well under pressure, its how they became superstars in the first place.

If a person is really a "closer" then he should be doing that all game...why wait until the last few moments to show how good you are? If you look at Kobe or MJ for example, they play hard from the opening tip and their excellence at the end is just a continuation of their game long performance.

In the case of Cp3, I dont think think he is a closer as much as a level headed player who can wake Harden up from his Westbrick-esque tunnel vision at the end of games. Nobody was calling Cp3 a closer when he was a Clipper, in fact they were saying he was a choke artist since he never got past the 2nd round. Suddenly he is a closer? Gimme a break this some douche trying to shade Harden on the down-low.

 

Harden has that strange thing - when defense gets aggresive on him he tries so much to appear calm thet he's becoming slumpy. CP3 on the other hand reacts with quick decisions and aggresive approach - I prefer the latter in clutch

 

1st seed problems

 

Wouldn't be surprised to see him fired over this, people have been fired for pettier things. Yes, it's his personal opinion. Maybe he is right and maybe not. But he didn't back it up with anything and it's a pretty bold statement to cast your franchise player as unable to close when anyone paying attention knows that he was just overworked.

He has been magnitudes better in late game and critical situations. Paul is great at it too. We were not looking for a closer, we were looking for someone who could give Harden some ****ing breathing room so that Harden could close. And Harden closes. But Harden drops daggers in the late 3rd, early 4th. We close late less than anybody else. That's Harden. That's why we're cruising to 65 wins.

Anyways, Bull's a good guy, I'm pretty sure he didn't mean it the way it sounded. But for f's sake, it's time to grow up from this narrative, it's childish to hold on to now that the facts are on the table.