ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Thunder 1/9/2020

You mean trading him plus assets for nothing? Or the original signing to get him? If it's the latter, I respectfully disagree. Other than the top FA's and Gordon, everyone signing below Ryno money was a 2016 FA bust. Ryno actually took less money to be on the Rockets. Tell me which championship players you would have acquired instead? Here's the contract list:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cb...e-players-are-going-whos-still-available/amp/

The NBA players union rejected cap smoothing, so teams spent that money kept paying those players or paying that extra space over the cap to get well into luxury tax territory (because the cap went down unexpectedly), or decided to shed that salary over time or aggressively (which is what the Rockets did). The 3 teams that have been in the NBA finals since the cap jump have all paid the financial penalty of the luxury tax for spending that cap jump money, then not immediately shedding it.

While Ryno busted after year 2, so did every player who signed for less other than Gordon, who was a relative steal. I think the bigger sin ownership committed was not keeping Ariza/Oubre, throwing away draft picks, and shedding tradable salary slots.

 

My gripes with Harden are this.

- The lazy effort sometimes...you can just see it. Him walking up and down the court or last night he stares at a guy taking a three, doesn't even pretend like he's going to contest the shot...I'm not saying he's lazy, clearly he's a hard worker, you don't be this good this long being lazy, but sometimes on the court he is clearly giving minimum effort.

- And this, he needs to move off ball more. Not just stand there

Otherwise, amazing player, all-time great, not doubting that. Every player has his flaws though and these are his.

 

You're the only one I see butt hurt constantly crying on a rocket forum about a thunder player. Maybe it's time for you to find a new home.

 

Harden is a volume shooter who has absolute confidence in his ability to shoot the three even when he is ice cold, do you think the coaching staff and the GM enabling that habit have nothing to do with it? And other than Westbrook who doesn't have a 3 point shot and CP3 whose midrange is his best weapon(and even then he shot badly last season overall for us) who on our team shoots any mid range shots? It's 100% a style imposed on the team.

Didn't his step back develop as a mid range shot at the start anyway? I loved how smooth that mid range of his was during McHale tenure.

 

Both, but I'd lean a little more towards giving him away. Truth be told, Anderson was acquired before the team had championship aspirations. At the time, I figured he was likely way overpaid. I would have preferred to not spend that money or spread it out over younger, more athletic players. But that ship has sailed.

 

not really. too many people just rather bite their tongue. i definitely won't. I never have. if anyone should go its the bad posters such as yourself. it would definitely alleviate a lot of litter

 

It's imposed on role players. Harden obviously has the green light to do whatever

 

I knew Hardens white hot shooting was gonna have a recoil at some point, but Holy s**t. I guess it's better to get it out if the way quickly.

About as awful Hardens has looked over a 6 quarter stretch as you will ever see.

Let's just try and forget these 2 games happened.

 

Sorry edited the post late, like I said before his step back started out as a midrange shot and it was smooth and high percentage and it was my favorite shot of his, I'm not saying he is forced to take 3s 100% of the time or anything like that, he is just enabled to, he can be encouraged to take midrange shots by a competent coach with a GM that doesn't dictate team style, which I find rediculous.

 

He also looked leaner in a good way.

 

I agree with you in theory but I just want to point out that 90% of the 2016 FA class busted. Look at the list. It's quite pathetic.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cb...e-players-are-going-whos-still-available/amp/

You are correct in that ship has sailed. And even if the Rockets had marginally better players signed than Ryno, ownership would probably have still let those salary slots expire to avoid the luxury tax.

 

I hate when he's running a PNR and the big sags and instead of taking the open shot he dances back to the three point line to take a step back. How in the world does that make any sense. **** Morey !

 

I disagree a tad here. His first year here, the playoff games here before the injury, they were borderline legendary clutch.

I didn't see Clippers version Paul this clutch in years.

 

I think Harden packed on too much weight also. It's part of the reason why he's so stationary when he doesn't have the ball. But I do get raged on a lot for mentioning his weight.

He looked really lean in 2017 also when he shed a lot of pounds during the CP3 acquisition off-season. I remember in an interview he said he followed CP3's dieting tips also. That's another part of CP3 I liked. He was a good role model for Harden. I thought Harden's 2017-2018 season was his best all around season.

 

Yes that's why I said he was great the first year. We didn't get that in year Two, combined with his age is why he isn't here.

I still do not believe he would be playing as well for us as he is the thunder this year if he was still here. His usage is much lower there

 

The short rotations is even more dangerous in that this is heavy 3 point shooting team and tired legs is not good for shooting threes down the stretch of a game or in a tough playoff series. Not even factoring our forwards are consistently guarding taller players fairly often. In the last two games our regularly playing bench consists of three guards/forwards standing 6'3" or 6'4", BMac, EG and Rivers. MDA gotta work on the other players more, I guess. If he pulls them out, coach them, Russ and the Beard do that on the court already as well and send them back in the game later to spell some of the starters. Lack of consistent playing time will stunt the growth of the younger players. The more they get in rhythm between now and April the better.
It will also let the starters be more fresh come playoffs with less minutes per game.

 

Exactly it doesn’t. I’ve never said he sucks. In fact I didn’t want us to trade him. So read before u comment then. I said ppl are giving him all the credit or too much credit

 

No doubt, Houston got them stars really old and mostly declining, everyone other than Harden.

The little efficiency that WB had will be declining in the future.

 

It’s like Schroder or Oladipo whenever they asked them anout Russ influence on them. It’s not like you can say no they don’t. But all the influence in the world won’t help you if you don’t put on the work or and you have the talent.

All I’m saying is yes he does and has had some influence but that team has a lot of young talent and they are athletic as well. Is not like cp3 is doing all the work. I do miss Chris but we are doing well without him. People forgetting Harden wanted Russ and also he wasn’t feeling it anymore with CP3. so I’m okay with him playing with someone he wanted.