What's up with Harden?

Bro it’s been 2 games, you are better than this cmon.

 

It's not anything I'm worried about. The refs are calling it a little differently, none of it in his favor. As he's trying to adjust he's missing shots he knows he can make, over and over. He'll get in the gym and iron the shot out, and once he's hitting the shot he'll adapt to the refs like he always has.

 

He's playing like dog **** so far. I cringe when he shoots. He's careless with the ball and seems out of shape to be honest. I'm not worried though, he started slow last year too IIRC.

 

Harden obese.

 

You won't even remember his body language for these first 2 games when he's saving our ass in Nov-Dec.

 

These weird offensive fouls he's never been called for before have to be throwing him off.

 

I think the bad body language has always been there, it just got magnified cuz his shooting is ass.

Even when Harden was saving our team IIRC he has always had bad body language, that's the main reason he and CP3 started fighting CP3 is asking him to move around and Harden is telling him "your old ass can't tell me what to do".

My opinion after watching him and the Rockets almost exclusively these past few years it's his version of stat hunting. Like some players who care about stats have bad habits for example Marcus Camby wouldn't close out on his guy on defense and let his opponent take the shot so he can block it. WB obviously ignored all defense in OKC cuz he wants the opponents to take shots so he can get the rebs. Harden as I have observed him used to coast on defense so he can have more energy on offense. But since last year he also started playing some defense, at least he doesn't let his man blow by him easily anymore. So he is expending energy both on offense and defense, when does he rest so he can have energy to pump up his stats? Obviously it is when others are holding the ball he can fade into the background and get some rest so that when its his turn he can do that step back 3 over and over again.

It's def a bad habit I'm hoping that WB being the dog that he is influences Harden for the better. The time when Harden starts moving on cuts and off the ball is the time when the Rox's offense go up several levels.

 

These offensive fouls are TROUBLING
Later in the season people will be b****ing about him not driving or anything
this will be the reason why
They are simply trying to train him to not use part of his game or get in his head to be wearyof his moves
those little minor things add up and can cause misses which use to be makes

Rocket River

 

It takes him awhile to get going. He's getting older, the off-season partying takes longer to get over

 

But what about all his workout off-season videos working on his one legged step back?

He looks large this beginning of the season. It's going to take him a month to burn some of his excess weight.

 

Whatever it is, d'antoni himself said it's taking longer every year

 

he looked so good in preseason I can't believe he has come out been the opposite the first two games. i thought for sure he was ready to dominate early and keep us afloat while westbrook adjusted. james is killing us right now.

 

I do think it's a rhythm thing.
He got used to dribble the ball for 15 seconds and now he is asked to do it less.
It will take a few games to get the muscle memory back to his catch and shoot or faster pull ups.
But his body language is annoying, especially next to Westbrook.
With Paul they were both like that so you could not notice it as much.
He needs to shut up and dribble (less dribbles)

 

Dude is overweight, which leads to crap play which leads to bad body language.

 

It’s just a shooting slump.

The refs aren’t helping, but I think that will figure itself out.

 

Where’s the ‘Astros in WS, didn’t watch’ option?

 

He's adjusting to the pace right now...his legs aren't there for his three bc he's having to use his explosiveness more consistently through out the game (which should show how impressive Russ' conditioning is).

This is gonna be amazing in the long-run because he's gonna be in the best condition of his life come these playoffs.