We know Harden's game better than anyone. We have watched him for 8 yrs. We have watched him grow. What is the Book on Harden. What would you like the current Rockets and Coach Silas to know as the best way to stop him? It won't be easy but . . . . . 1. Rough him up. He can get frustrated when he is beat up esp if the Refs not calling it. 2. Force him Right 3. Play the passing lanes. 4. Stay close to him (see #1.) Stay attached. 5. Go at him on Defense. He reaches alot. (though he has good hands) Rocket River
It's truly a blessing that James Harden no longer plays for YOUR team. *Guess even you had to rethink posting that bullshit.
1. Take advantage of the time he's sitting on the bench. 2. Enjoy the few competitive minutes you have early in the game before the inevitable blowout. 3. Just stop coaching and caring at halftime and use the second half to catch up on your scouting for draft picks.
Double him all night. Don't care who scores at the basket. If he shakes loose 2 defenders, triple. Help defense? Throw only at Harden. If you help off Deandre you're getting pulled out the game.
I've watched most of the games because lately, they didn't conflict with horrible Houston Rockets basketball games. It was on like a perfect every other day rotation until last night. So what I've noticed is that teams are having a harder time picking Harden up full court, frustrating, and being physical with him because now he can just pass it to Kyrie and either take the play completely off or run off of a screen and get it back in the half-court set either going downhill towards the basket or pulling it back out to do his thing. Pop knows Harden as well as any coach from being in the same division and also coaching him and he tried doubling him immediately to get the ball out of his hands, picking him up 94 feet, pressuring him all the way out to halfcourt with physical defense, blitzing the pick and roll, sagging off the pick and roll, etc. and not much seemed to work last night. As we all know he's seen every defense there is. Paul George used to be a solid Harden defender, but then he figured him out. Smart is okay. Roberson and Dort are probably the 2 best guys we've seen on him and we don't have a guy in the mold of either one of those guys. Ideally, you need a guy strong enough to not get bullied, but also quick enough to not get beat off the dribble and contest his shots to spearhead whatever the plan is and we don't have a player that fits that mold. PJ is strong enough, but not fast enough and Harden knows his game too well. I think Harden will come out trying to facilitate though and get other guys open looks.
Harden is going off for 40-50 point triple double tonight. You know Kyrie is going to give him the green light to shoot and there is no one on rockets that can give him any trouble.
How do you stop Harden, double him at half court and get the ball out of his hands. Kyrie will go off though
Exactly the problem teams are faced with. Kyrie going 4 on 3 with Joe Harris spotted up at the 3 point line, and Jordan or Claxton in the dunker spot is much scarier than any variation of Westbrook attacking a 4 on 3 because teams could just protect the paint and cover up shooters on the 3 point line because of his lack of being a consistent outside shooter. Kyrie can score at all 3 levels. You have to defend him.
With the recent snow/electric grid situation, maybe a mercy killing next game. ... Opponents record wise we had one of the easiest schedule last month before all star break: We lost to Pelicans, Hornets, Cavs (x2), Wolves, Wizards, Thunder, knicks (improved), heat (bad 1st half this season, but not against us), and Grizzlies. Those weren't blown leads either as we trailed pretty much all of those games. Maybe a video for him at the start of game. Then it'll be like the other games in Feb.