They may say they're playing to win, but really, what else are they suppose to say? The fact that they don't care about who they play directly contradict them trying to get to the 6th seed. Everyone on the Rockets, from front office to coaches to players, know it means absolutely jack squat to be 6th or 7th assuming their opponent doesn't matter. The fact that Parsons and Delfino have been held out for a while is pretty obvious that they're not playing all out. I don't doubt that Harden will have some rest coming up too. It's much more important to be as fully healthy as possible for the playoffs. If anyone's not at near 100%, I bet that player gets some extra rest. It's just common sense. Fighting for the 6th spot? Not so much.
Too many minutes for Harden. Everyone else can and should play full time, but we need to keep harden at 30 minutes and his backup needs to get used to playing a little more. I understand he's young, but the guy is tired. He is just tired and you can see it. Thankfully our schedule to finish the season includes a decent amount of rest, but McHale needs to watch it. He would NOT take responsibility if Harden's fatigue led to injuries or poor 4th Q performances, so he should not be out there saying it's fine. It's incredible to me given this franchise's recent history that it wouldn't be taken more seriously. Hopefully this ends up being a non-issue.
Play the A team for the next 2 games. Beat Sac and Phoenix. If Spurs beat Warriors, that makes the last game irrelevant to our playoff position. For that game, rest Harden, Parsons, and whoever else can benefit from having the day off. That rest is worth more than any spite. Sorry, Utah.
Agreed. You always have to play to win. That's why I've always hated tankers. Love the attitude from Mac. Now, let's get it done.
