Winning huge? This team is 3-0 against the Thunder (a team just as bad as, if not worse than, us) and 2-16 against the rest of the NBA. Just because we're on something of a winning streak (2 of those games were against OKC) doesn't mean we don't suck. We still do. Very much so. What does "expertise and hard work" even mean? You praise the Sengun pick, which is great, but do note that Stone lucked out and had 14 other teams pass on Sengun. And the Rockets technically passed him up with the #2 overall pick, also. It blows my mind when people harp on Stone being a better GM than Morey just because Stone drafted Green and Sengun, while purposefully not wanting to remember that Morey kept this team in championship contention (not just playoffs. Championship.) for about 5-6 years. Did he win the title? No. But he did his job well. Because name another non-championship winning team in the past decade that was consistently competitive like the Harden Rockets were. I'll wait. Lastly, yes, it's not about where you pick but the who, that's important. But "where" you pick means you have more of an option as to the "who" you end up taking. Again, let's not pretend like it was some master plan by Stone to have all those teams skip Sengun. Stone was very lucky.
People are already moving on to the next negative narrative about him. "NBA rules changed and he can't exploit them anymore - that's why he sucks." "Partying 24/7 and not working on his game - that's why he sucks." "Isn't the best player on his team anymore so he's salty about it - that's why he sucks." Everyone seemed to forget that this dude was injured.
I think Barkley said something that was smart Which I don't get why James does do In the 1st last nite His shot distribution 3 - threes 3 - layups 3 - floaters Mix in a midrange Keep that mix and he back to a 24~30 pt a night guy 21 shots a game 6-threes 7 layups 6 floaters/midrange Rocket River
Its really hard to watch man. People like talk about him like he's some chump second to Durant now. He's playing like it too to be fair. He looks like he can only go full tilt for one quarter or one half at a time, then he just defers to that chucker. I dont know man, i dont know.....
u know you’re just on a different level compared to 99% of the NBA when u average 21, 8, and 9 on 60% TS and people act like you’re a washed bum now if Harden was averaging 17-18 shots a game instead of a measly 14, he’d be dropping 25 ppg and nobody would be talking he might have lost a step, but he’s also been coasting offensively that game against NY would’ve been a 45 or 50 point game for Houston Harden easy, but he had an insatiable appetite to score back then
Its hard for me to even say he's lost a step when the man doesnt even try some nights. He has a good quarter and its like okay Im done. Its so weird, like he doesnt have any bounce or his handles are super sloppy. Less then physical decline he just looks sloppy, like very sloppy.
well he couldn’t really work on his game over the summer…I remember when he was dealing with that ankle sprain in the 2015 offseason along with spending time with the Kardashians not really working on his game and his handle was sloppy and a lot looser than it was in 14-15 when he had dude’s ankles on life support every night he has no touch on his floater he looks like a guy who hadn’t really hooped in months…layups and touch around the rim is gonna be off, and your handle won’t be what it was when u were hooping consistently he’ll get it back tho I do think he’s lost a step…I’ve seen too many times where he was struggling to get by guys who would be finger food for Houston Harden…BK’s spacing isn’t that great either which I’m sure makes driving more difficult as well compare him to 18-19 or 19-20 Harden driving to the rim and the difference is pretty noticeable
This is why I don't really buy the "he couldn't work on his game offseason because of injury" theory. That might have some effect. But it doesn't look like he was rusty because of lack of practice. When Harden played bad, it seldom looked like it was something physically wrong. It always looked mental. It's like his mind wasn't there.
of course it looked mental in the past, he had never had an injury that acquired the amount of rehab he just had to do…and that was mainly only in the playoffs in a select few games…in the regular season, if Harden had a stretch of bad play, it was because he was trying to play through an injury because he never wanted sit out, not because of anything like his mind not being there Harden wasn’t even cleared for 5 on 5 play until just right before preseason
I'd let him play and end this gong show. Everyone else is vaccinated so its not like he's putting people at risk.
What reason would he have to have lost a step that he can't get back? He was literally moving at an elite level a year and a half ago. Even last season in Brooklyn, after he got in shape and before the hamstring injury, he had games where he was looking very explosive. I don't think a hamstring injury can take down someone's quickness that fast if he's fully recovered. If he can get back in shape, I don't see any reason why he can't regain it.
3 hamstring injuries in the span of a few months, with 2 of them being grade 2’s, at the age of 32 can cause someone to lose a step
I just have to disagree personally. One of the most encouraging games recently is actually one of his worst, the game against Phoenix. I missed the game at the time, but I just watched an all possession clip of it and it's probably the best he's looked movement-wise so far his year. Ironically, he played terrible b/c his handles and shooting were awful for his standards. Check out the drives at 2:10, 7:18, and 8:00. His quickness is getting close. I wouldn't be surprised if he went on a run starting very, very soon. It may already have started with the Knicks game.
