this is still my favorite version of Harden...I still watch a lot of his highlights from this season for nostalgia purposes...I miss his midrange game and creativity off the dribble...now it’s mainly just a between the legs series followed by a stepback from 3
Beat Golden State or bust. Capeala was sold into slavery before the pandemic. Well...not really, but kinda sorta!
These Rockets cuts are cool, but it's time for some more rare footage. Give me a Calvin Murphy episode, a Rudy T one, Otis Thorpe one, a 22-1 start to 1993-94 season, the 92-93 season with two 10+ game winning streaks etc.
The now yo-yo’ing the ball with a step back 3 (top 5 player and so efficient) vs the then never knowing when or where the shot was coming from or how the drive was going to end other than a score for him or a teammate. MY POINT IS YOUR POINT! He was already successful and still would be even without the 3 pt or rim mentality.
IMO one of the most underrated rockets squads , or maybe just one of my favorites . there’s efficiency, MDA’s genius , and more talent(some years) .... but I really like how that 14-15 team played . maybe harden has evolved to a more efficient passer , and of course CP3 is a great... but that 14-15 squad had some of the best passing and most exciting team play I’ve seen . The passing from the bigs was so stellar . Josh smith and dmo . We could kill you in 1000 different ways . Not just a few like we do now . ultimate what if story if DMO and Beverley are healthy for the playoffs and Dwight doesn’t tear/sprain his MCL game 1 vs GS . I mean Howard missed half the regular season and we still won 56 games and were second seed . It’s not like he was 100 percent for the 41 he did play ... he was in and out etc. If you add DMO to our bigs list of Dwight , Josh , TJ , and rookie clint that’s a great combo . If you add Bev instead of having to rely on 40 year old prigi and terry then that’s a huge upgrade . solid wing defenders in Ariza and brewer . Hell , even Papanikolaou looked like he might have a future if he doesn’t get hurt (or maybe not hahah) we had Joey Dorsey and tarick black averaging 5/5 and helping us win games . THATS how devastating harden was in the pick and roll . And the of course the PNR with Dwight (he also developed good chemistry with Dmo) from a pure variety of ways we could attack teams on offense and defense and the power of our bench ... it truly makes 15-16 an abomination and one of the worst rockets seasons in the last 20 years imo . Like wtf happened . no question we should have brought that team back entirely instead of playing games with josh smith ... Dmo never got back healthy all the way either . **** , I even liked Nick Johnson as a developmental piece ... ****in Ty Lawson .
Lol he had 2 All NBA first team selections with McHale. All NBA first team isn't merely all-star level. Just for reference Paul Peirce has zero. In Mcgrady's whole career he has only 2.
Game 2 of the WCF... damn. Feels like such a waste of a game He was absolutely in his bag in that second half. Thought he passed it to Trevor Ariza for the win. Ended up being Dwight.
I’m confused because u said “he would still be an all-star player” when he was a MVP caliber/superstar/top 5 player
Prior Rockets, Parsons, as well.. I know many claim Ariza was and is way better. I think 'Portion's' defense was more than good enough and he wouldn't have missed 12 threes in a row in a close out game against the Mortal Enemy. Rockets the 2018 champs as we speak if somehow Portions retained.
I think we could have kept him AND gotten Ariza had we exercised his 4th year option instead of trusting him in RFA . Granted, parsons may have felt slighted and caused distractions .... but he would have had to play well to get a payday.
