4-15 from three is not going to cut it. He shot a disappointing 34.7% from 3 in the regular season and is shooting an even worse Westbrickian 28.3% from 3 in the playoffs. The 3pt shot is the last element of the game he needs to improve to become the ultimate offensive player. The Rockets will win if he shoots less 3s since that implies he's driving and dishing more. More drives/dishes mean we're actually running the offense more often and settling less.
So, all year we are told that Harden is "the guy" who gets the rockets into all their sets, and that it happens organically as Harden reads what is happening on the floor, but now all of a sudden it takes a full timeout for Dan Tony to tell harden to run the offense correctly? I don't buy that, and I don't buy that Dan Tony didn't communicate with Harden either. There were plenty of stoppages.
the worst part is that he went 7-9 from inside the arc Why the hell is he taking 15 threes like he's Steph Curry? Where has his midrange game gone? He is taking almost 11 threes per game in these playoffs while shooting 28% from deep. Why are half of your shots from deep if you're shooting worse than Westbrook from out there? When will somebody have a serious talk with him and tell him to just stop with all the 3 point attempts? He needs to bring that number down from almost 11 a game to around 6-7 a game. He should substitute some of those threes with some midrange jumpers. He's a good midrange shooter, but he's pretty much eliminated that aspect of his game in order to shoot more off the dribble bricks from 3.
I am still in shock. We saw it happen for over 10 minutes of game time and no one stopped it... I'm still rolling with Harden because I remember the years of constantly just missing the playoffs and being so mediocre. I am just very disappointed that Harden and the Coach let this go on for so long and didn't do anything different.
Fair point. But it's tough to argue when Harden's game sucks in *the* most important games of his career. Playoffs, make-or-break games when everythings on the line. Our best comeback vs. the Clippers when we rallied massively to overcome a 20-some point deficit came when he was benched by McHale for the game. In fact, that was the big storyline - McHale's courage in sitting Harden for the game and allowing the rest of the gust - J Smoove, Brewer, DH, etc. - to mount a comeback. Last night was a predictable and painful series of events to watch - bad passes, errant shots, and poor defense at the most critical junctures. There are things D'Antoni can do to put us in a better position to win games (I am flummoxed as to why Harrell has not seen the court when RA is being abused and guys are getting to the basket play after play with no resistance), but at the end of the day, we have no chance when Harden plays the way he did last night late in the game.
I can argue to the contrary that the dumbest thing that is said on Clutchfans is "you can win a championship with Harden." See you can't just dismiss opinion of fans of fans who think may be Harden is a great player, but he doesn't have what it takes to be a championship player. This happens way too many times in crucial time as other people have mentioned. Remember game 6 comeback against the Clippers, Harden had mailed in and McHale benched him. He was a cheerleader in that comeback. That aspect of his game hasn't improved, and it's not dumb to question if it will ever improve. It may very well improve, but no sign of it yet.
Don't be myopic. Sure, Harden should know what he's supposed to do. I'm not absolving him for last night. But calling time outs to reset the offense, give guys a quick rest, and regroup is simply what coaches do. Hell...Popavich calls time outs because he's angry about things like defensive stances and bad screens. D'Antoni can't call time outs to re-organize the offense? And this isn't just on Harden. You could see by many of his reactions that teammates were confused/not doing what they're supposed to do too. The whole offense failed. Like...it's easy to say "Harden should know what he's supposed to do", and that's true, but when he's clearly not knowing what he's supposed to do, do something to remedy it.
1) Why does Clutchfans single out Clippers Game 6? Yeah, that was a bad performance by him and a miracle by the bench, but do the other games not matter? He was good in pretty much all of the other 6 games in that series. 2) Harden had one of the all-time bad halves of his career last night, given the stakes. There is no way around it. But once again...if you say that, you cannot ignore the many other times that Harden has been good in important games. The purely selective memory for one of the great Houston athletes of all time is strange.
Harden needs to take what the defense gives him when he isn't playing very well. He just seems to try and force too much. I knew he was taking several of those stepback 3's, I knew they were going to be contested shots and I knew they weren't going in before they happened. He kept doing it over and over again. When he finally had an open look from 3 he passed it off.
I think the team is growing actually. They get better next year hopefully. Perhaps not to the extent to beat the Warriors. And the series is not over. They have to address this problem though, looking at Maurley. Because just avoiding close games aint going to cut it in the playoffs where every other game is going to be very close.
We have some better players this year, but James continues to make these same mistakes in the playoffs, and will continue to play this way until we have a coach who will actually coach him, and not let him do as he wants.
If you believe what you are saying then there is no point in watching these playoffs. Why turn on the TV? Reality is 15 teams aint gonna win a ring not including all the ones that didnt even qualify for the playoffs. Re: Harden doing as much as can statistically - that's disingenuous. In a one possession 2 to 3 pt game, one turnover can be critical. Three turnovers is self-immolation. I say this not as a Harden basher but that, if anything, it is ok for fans to expect more. That Harden is the presumptive "superstar" but has not quite lived up to those stds even if statistically he has - 3 pt shooting era or otherwise. This game 5 loss was self inflicted. Nobody can argue that there weren't chances to take this. Nobody can also argue that the turnovers didnt hurt us. But "talk" should be simply that we had chances and that technically we are still "on serve". Focus on game 6 and game 6 alone. And while the past may not always repeat itself, to be reminded that come fatigue, no calls, or hell or high water, this is "our moment". Stay aggessive. Keep attacking. And win this thing. Not this pansy excuse stuff of "we have no other star," or "Harden is doing all that he can do." Sorry. But imho, its just making excuses for them. Game 2 through 3 quarters. Game 5 through reg AND ot. Last i checked the roster as is was doing just fine. Could just as easily be us up and not the Spurs. TheSage
I'm re watching overtime now.... .1st there was the full stoppage at the end of regulation , Then there was a foul almost immediately(LMA free throws). The first rocket possession was a harden turnover. Then Harden jacked up a three...from a broken play. After that there was a timeout at 3:17. Plenty of time for Dan Tony to communicate to his team (which I'm sure he did). In the first rocket possession immediately after the time out, Harden jacked up another three. Then there was another small stoppage for the basket interference. Next Rocket possession, Harden actually chose to drive, and guess what, it generated a corner three! (Almost like thats what Dan Tony told him to do!!) Next Rocket possession you see Dan Tony at mid court screaming...telling the rockets to GO!.....Harden TO. Another stoppage, Simmons to the line. Next Rocket possession, Harden TO , Then green hits the three. Spurs take the lead Dan Tony didn't call a time out, but Harden drove, and generated the Anderson three!! Then Green hit the and one drive and MDA took a time out with 30 seconds left!! I don't know what else you want? There were two timeouts taken within a 5 minute period, plus multiple stoppages for communication. MDA had to save a couple timeouts for the late clock situations too.
