-YES all of that lost us at least 3 games. He's doing it all at the wrong time and this isn't his first playoff disappearing act. He is killing us in this series. How many games has Troy Daniels lost us? How many games has Lin lost us?
Harden needs to toughen up and that is the bottom line. You claim you want to be one of the best to play this game, well then pimpn act like it. Yes the Blazers are playing him very aggressive, well Harden get aggressive with them. It is very embarrassing to be targeted as a weak link on defense. The Blazers have made it known by their play, if Harden is guarding them, attack. So what is wrong with Harden, well to answer your question, he is being manhandled and punked out there. This series should have been over with.
The thing with the Dump it to Howard offense is that you can't rely on it in the last minutes of the game. They'll just keep fouling Howard. We NEED Harden to be himself again to win game 6. Personally, I agree with Clutch and others that it is the defense and no calls from refs that is getting to him. I don't buy the partying and locker room drama excuse/reason.
Didn't Harden have a similar slump earlier in the year? And then he just breasted towards the end if the season. Here's the thing Lillard and LMA have been playing out of their minds this series with averages above their season stats. Harden has been the polar opposite. But seriously 5 games in a row of poor shooting there has to be a reversion to the mean.
Big time players always play above their season averages. Tmac and Yao always had big games in the playoffs compared to their regular season stats. Dirk in his prime was the same way. The list goes on and on. What Lillard and LMA is doing is what's expected from their two best players. Unfortunately for us Harden is MIA.
Tmac wouldn't caught DeRozen with his fd up knee. This is totally different so why do people keep on comparing what Harden is doing to one freaking game by Tracy. In the playoff's Tracy always gave 100+%.
there's not time to coddle harden, he needs to get his **** together now, friday is another elimination game, we need him to play well, he's looking like 2011 finals lebron out there
My take... Regarding Harden's shot...it just feels like because he isn't getting to the FT line consistently enough (refs just not calling those fouls) it is throwing off his rhythm. And it is bringing in some hesitancy to his play. Too much thinking and not enough just flowing. Matthews is playing good D, but Harden is making it tough on himself.
He is settling too much on jumpshots, when throughout the entire season he was attacking the basket. and the biggest reason why he doesn't attack the basket its because this is the playoffs and he will not get the same type of foul calls that he was getting all season long.
Whatever's going on with Harden, I thought his repost to Howard was great. Best repost all year and something that should be done more often. And showed his willingness to get the ball to Howard. It's exactly what needs to be done to allow Howard to get better position. Also he passes the the ball to Howard better than anyone on the pnr. And his did that last night as well. So if there is some bickering going on in the locker room maybe it has passed and they'll be focused. Harden gets so much attention using him as a decoy may be the solution to getting other open looks.
Because TMac said it was on him and tried to make it on him and then didn't show up. He choked in the playoffs always. If that's 100% than he is weak a mental midget. It's why he never won 1 playoff series in his career except the one he was forced to sit out of due to injury. The Rockets played better in the playoffs without him.
All Tmac numbers went up in the playoffs. I don't care that he said it was on him, some of you fans and the media was going to blame anyways. Yes his teams choked in the playoff's but it wasn't because of Tracy. I guess Tracy is responsible for Chuck Hayes missing wide open layups. I guess its his fault that Battier, Luther Head, R. Alston, Moochie Norris and a host of other players couldn't hit wide open jumpers. I guess its his fault the bench didn't show up in game 7 against the Mav's.. Harden number are decreasing and he is not playing with the same intensity he played with since the all star break.
Your joking right? Even you BadLee can't actually be serious about this can you? (wait.... dont even bother answering that). Its like blaming a waiter at a restaurant for bad service when the restaurant is short staffed on a Friday night, and that one waiter has half of the restaurant in his section.... oh... but the hostess did a good job of seating the tables. How do you think Daniels got so many open looks in his first couple games FYI??? Maybe, just maybe..... the Blazers entire defensive scheme revolves around keeping Harden on the paint, and ramming the ball down his throat on the other end. Scheme Badlee.... its worked for Stotts, and they have no reason to stop this scheme yet. Its the reason why Dwight, Parsons, and even guys like Daniels are getting the shots they are getting. This is exactly why you need at least two all-star type players to go anywhere in the playoffs.... teams are too good defensively in a 7 game series and game gameplan on how to stop your teams best player. Stotts has decided to let Dwight get his, and keep Matthews and Batum glued on Harden. Only a few times has Stotts elected to double Dwight, and shortly after backed off of the double to avoid those open perimeter shots. Stotts is smart enough to know that the Rockets can't win a 7 game series without A. Harden getting in the paint to do what he does, and without B. Open 3 pointers. Superstars dont LOSE games for the fans or their team unless they really aren't superstars or all-star caliber players in the first place that command the entire scheme of the other team to be revolved around stopping them. He's not the only player on the court. On the offensive end, McHale, and the other players need to make their opponent pay for the way they are overcompensating on Harden or Howard, and on defense, its a combination of scheme, hustle, and accountability. So far McHale struggled with scheme on his P&R coverage's, multiple players have struggled with hustle even though Harden is the worst offender, and their seems to be little accountability going on from McHale. Just watch their pathetic excuse for pick and roll coverage. Its incredibly easy for the Blazers to get separation in the P&R and I have yet to see McHale change a thing. Its so easy to blame the star player because you are used to him dominating and he's suddenly not. I get it... its a normal human reaction. But you folks need to use a little more of your brain as to figure out WHY HE'S STRUGGLING in the first place rather than just play the blame game right out of the gate. There is more to the story than just Harden's strippers, laid back demeanor, pot belly, rumors about the locker-room for a sh#$tty source, and crooked teeth.
Harden just needs to step up. He need to play really well in game 6. Law of averages suggest he will, but I have been saying that since game 1. So at this point, I will just admit that maybe it isn't James, but it's Portland's defense.
Harden hasn't shown up at all this series, and I don't have an explanation for that, but asking "How many games has Lin lost us?" is silly because the answer is AT LEAST ONE.
