What changes will we see from Harden in the Silas era?

https://rocketswire.usatoday.com/


Enter the Silas.....wants a 6’4 combo guard....

looks like Eric is on the trading block for a big....

 

yes exactly. That’s why I have been saying all along as much as i love PJ he is such a liability on offense. PJ is not a starter in this league. We need a stretch 4 that can still score inside. Or in those instances against the trap we need a big in the middle to catch and shoot dribble drive pass hi low or out to shooters. Need more dynamic 4 and 5.

 

Remains the same as when we had Capela. Less Harden efficiency, similar to those days; Iso made Harden more efficient.

Screen defender doubles Harden easier. Same double teams at half court to get the ball out of Hardens hands.


Westbrook has to be able to shoot 3’s with greater %. His defender will just clog the paint disrupting any PnR action.
Clogs the paint for any off screens away from Harden Iso or PnR action.

Rockets don’t have shot creators. Spot and shoot players, yes. Motion, movement without the ball....good luck first
year. Take 2 months to get in rhythm or a grove, timing. Then trade deadline breaks up the team because the Rockets
will be 6th seed or worse.


All contingent on Westbrook hitting 3’s consistently. People have me half convinced Westbrook can’t and won’t.
If it was me I would be working everyday to master the 3-point shot at 2 or 3 locations. Earn my $40+ million....
but if I was to ask Harden or Tucker if Westbrook was practicing 3’s? I have a hunch they would say, No.

In football you have personnel fit for a 3-4 defense or 4-3. Offensive linemen better suited to pass block or run block.
Usually not master of both. Rockets have greyhounds......with one pit bull (Tucker). We are built for 5-men out....not
tussle and mix it up and cause interference. Run n Gun mostly. Will take time to get the right personnel needed and very little assets to get it done sooner.

Basically what I’m trying to say is, we are in a rebuild whether people realize it or not.

 

Ive been always saying that NBA defenses are never confused by our schemes. It's very predictable. Good change.

 

Then Rockets have been incredibly lucky to have top 6 offense or better in every season coached by MDA.

Amazing amirite, considering how predictable and simplistic our offense has been.

But I'm sure you'll figure out some way to explain it's because Harden is lazy.

Should we stop the count fchowd?

 

He needs to learn how to still be effective when his shots not falling. If you notice, when he's off he stops competing. Put him in motion and make him a true playmaker. I also feel this year Harden needs to score no more than 28ppg. I'd like to see him focus on other parts of the game like rebounding

 

They know this. MDA whole motto was we are gonna do what we want and you know what we are doing but can you stop us. He's a big reason for a lot of the failures.

 

Only a true Rockets fan wants Harden to play WORSE because HE believes he knows better than a MVP and 3 time scoring champ.

 

Why are so many people so obsessed with Harden taking more mid-range jumpers? He averaged 30 PPG on 64% TS in the playoffs against two tough defensive teams that game planned specifically against him. He played great. Sure, there is the odd time late in the game where maybe taking the open 2 would've been a better option, but I will take Moreyball 99% of the time instead of worrying about the one time every 5 games when he should've taken a mid ranger instead of a contested 3. From an efficiency and shot selection standpoint, I like Harden where he is now.

The big issue is the Rockets were terrible whenever Harden was double teamed. That's what crippled us. Whether that means other players stepping up, running James in the post, using more off-ball movement, utilizing the PnR more...I don't know. But I do know that the solution is NOT having most efficient, high volume scorer in the league take more inefficient twos.

 

I don't foresee much change in Harden honestly. I think we need better shooters.

 

Because it becomes really predictable to defend Harden in close games situations in 7 game series. He easily gets shut out as defenses know to pack the paint and guard the three point line and let Harden or any Rocket freely operate in the mid range area. Teams don't even bother guarding us in the mid range.

Harden should incorporate some versitility and mid range just like the Chiefs still need to run the ball occasionally even with Patrick Mahommes and the most dangerous air attack in NFL history.

 

I would watch a video of any other superstar guard like Kobe or Jordan and see how many areas of the court they catch the ball to create their shot. They'll catch it from the elbow, baseline, do curl actions etc. It's significanltly hard to deny them the ball in close late game situations precisely because of this.

 

LOL

 

If' it's easy to defend Harden in close games, then why don't teams just defend him that way the whole game? They're ok with him scoring 30?

Who do we have in the mid range area that isn't being guarded? Everyone is behind the line the majority of the time. The whole idea is that the shooters are spread out and that causes defenses to have to guard a larger area.

Pretty simple to say "guard the 3 point line". That doesn't work on Harden as he can create space any time he likes. Instead teams have to double. One guys can't guard him alone. If he gets doubled then someone is unguarded. Doesn't it make more sense for the unguarded player to take an efficient shot ? How does taking an inefficient shot help? Every team in the league tries to get the opponent to take inefficient shots. So the answer is to just go ahead and take more inefficient shots? That makes no sense.

You don't seem to acknowledge the fact that a defense can know what's coming and still not be able to stop it. Do you think the Lakers were surprising anyone by throwing the ball into Shaq?

The Football analogy doesn't really work. Football has 4 downs for a possession and you can get first downs to extend your possession. If KC only had one play to score, do you think that they'd run the ball or throw it?

 

James Harden literally spends the entire game iso'ing the other team to death, so it's not really functionally different than our late game offense. If it's so predictable, then why don't teams do that every possession?

 

Just read this after I posted, yes this is just a better way of describing what I meant to say lol

 

Energy costs. Teams put max defensive effort in close 4th quarter stretches. And this is more prevelant in the playoffs as teams have time to gameplan with far more nuance as in the regular season, you are facing a different team every other day.

 

I hope we see Harden at all.

 

Play worse by expanding his game and NOT being one dimensional? Some of you are okay with Harden putting up MVP numbers at the expense of us going absolutely nowhere. The bar for Rocket fans has been significantly lowered. Sad

 

I guess you'd rather be a Mavs fan? Or a Suns fan? Kings???

Rockets have been top 5 in the West for last 8 seasons, you are delusional to think that Rockets have not been in the thick of the fight for a ring in last 5 seasons. No team was more competitive against the greatest team ever assembled GSW dynasty than the Harden led Rockets. No team took them to 7, not even the all star teams led by Lebron.

You win championships with talent. You win NOTHING without having the BEST talent.

You are delusional to believe PICKS and unproven players are better than TWO HOF players still in their prime.

Get better players around Harden and/or Russ FIRST before throwing the baby out with the bathwater.