Breakdown: Bickerstaff Was Talking About James Harden

So did Morey pull one over on Sam or did Sam pull one over on Morey...

T_Man

 

Okay now you can find plays during that stretch where Bev and Howard we're both selfish. Not buying he's only talking about Harden

 

Also I agree that Harden is flawed, but I think nearly every player is that is not named Jordan who was really the perfect player and could do nearly everything on the court at his position. Another of those players was Hakeem.

Curry too is flawed, hard to believe it but he is. The Warriors just do a great job of hiding his flaws so yes, we need to do that as well. Still, this team is really lacking talent or just that other guy that can challenge Harden.

I think that's what we need. Another guy that can challenge Harden. Challenge Harden on the idea that this is his team.

Until then we are not winning a thing. We may go to the WCF again or a few 2nd round trips that get us close but not further than that.

 

This is such BS. He's had success in the past, and he'll have success again in the future. Yes, he's a flawed superstar, but calling him a cancer, and fools gold... this fanbase can't be that stupid.

Coddling him though.... yes that's where the issue lies. You cannot enhance your stars flaws, and let him only win on his terms. He's gotta buy in.

But the talent, and the dynamic skills, you are pretty foolish to think that he's fools gold, and you will be sorry if you trade him for spare parts. The Rockets just need to do a better job of fostering the right culture/coach/support players/etc. around him to have success with such a flawed star.

But you'd absolutely take your chances with a flawed star vs. the alternative. Harden's time in Houston will be over at some point, and I guarantee you all these idiots out there vilifying him will wish they had him back again. Nobody was more vilified than T-Mac back in the day, and when he comes to the Toyota Center and his face is put on the jumbo tron, its all cheers, and memories.

Let's just be real here for a minute folks, and stop putting on a hissy fit episode. It is what it is.... yes changes need to be made, but at least we know more and more about our superstar now in order to hopefully correct those mistakes moving forward.

 

Signed the guy who loves looking at strippers himself.

Idiots need to stop being so judging.

 

He's not a cancer.

He was awesome last year. On par with LeBron,Curry and Kawhi.

We need to find out what happened to him in the off season and get him help.

If there's a #protocol we need to implement, then do it

 

Wait. A play-by-play man for the Colorado Rockies minor league team and part-time reporter for Sports Radio 610 broke down some videos and gives his take.

So, y'all use it to claim something. What if DaDakota does that and starts a thread? Would he get as much respect as a baseball pbp man is getting.

Not saying it is or isn't Harden, especially *just* Harden. Certainly, Harden is part of the "core issues" that JBB mentiones. But this adds one take to our ongoing discussion. I also think Adam Spolane did a poor just of describing those plays. His focus was on deciphering JBB quotes. And he doesn't appear to know those NBA defenses very well.

 

I dont know. If its harden more info will probably leak sooner or later. I just hope for the good of the team its anyone else but Harden.
Some ppl sound almost happy but if its harden and hes a cancer then we are pretty much screwed.

 

This. We aren't learning that our superstar is a cancer that needs to be removed, we are simply learning about our superstar.

Big F-ing difference.

The organization needs to learn from what has happened this offseason and season, and foster the corrected actions & personnel around James that made him IMO the MVP last year. I do NOT think that Harden does NOT want to get back to where he was last year. I do NOT think that Harden wants to be known as a laughable defender & ball hog.

The team is learning alot this year, as we are about our superstar as fans. Let's just see how they respond instead of running out in the field with pitchforks looking for a lynching. We SHOULD BE smarter than that.

 

Spot on, you can't get rid of your best player. He is who he is, you have to build around him and put pressure on him

 

So the question is what do you do if it is true????

T_Man

 

A.I played in a different era. Do u know that all the advanced stats now paint him very unfavourably? I dont think A.I right now would have much success in a team built around him in the modern nba. But thats just my opinion.

 

I think you are spot on, unfortunately.

 

You mean what does the organization do if it was Harden that JBB was calling out?

Same freaking thing it would have done regardless. If Harden get's labeled by the media and CF'ers OFFICIALLY as a cancer it changes nothing other than our perception.

The problems with this team, and most specifically Harden this year are glaring and staring us right in the face. As I said before, we aren't learning that our superstar is a cancer, we are just learning about our superstar.

Harden has issues as alot of other stars in the past have had in their own ways. We are learning that whatever Harden did this offseason to change his approach, and whatever the Rockets did to change his environment/cast/coaching situation did not work. We are probably learning more and more about what Harden needs to succeed. Harden might NOT think he wants THAT, but the organization should know that HE NEEDS THAT... whatever THAT might be.

The whole narrative that will be driven here about Harden being a cancer is just kind of irresponsible to drive unless you are just trying to be critical just to be critical.

Either you put your faith in Morey/Les etc. to help Harden get back to where he has been the past three years or you don't. That's all it comes down to. I see no reason why they can't make several changes this season and in the offseason to put James back on track, but that's just my opinion. The whole "is he a cancer or isn't he" argument is futile. Was JBB talking about Harden or wasn't he is too.... OF COURSE he was talking about Harden because Harden is the Houston Rockets, and the ball is in his hands when it counts. We can't be THIS type of fanbase. We are better than that.

 

See this is why I hate stats...

You can probably take the advanced staff and say a lot of players in that era are unfavorable....

Iverson had his issues... But when he stepped on the court he played to win and gave everything that he had.. I cannot say that same thing about Harden...

T_Man

 

Every path after that is a risk and a gamble with a lot of possibillity of failure. Stick with him and hope to improve by surrounding with right kind of glue guys and coaches and mentors or sell high while the facts are not well known around the league.
The best option is to not be true but burrying the head in the sand is the worst.
To decide the gm should also guess/know if harden is willing/flirting with the idea to go in bigger more glamour markets in two years or stay here.

Whatever happens im just sad if it comes to that.

 

He is a smaller version of Carmelo Anthony. It's so obvious to anyone with a clue. He used to be a different player before his second year here.

 

I totally agree with you on the sad part..

The only option that i see that will get thru to Harden is a coach.. In this case he has a lot of respect for Thibs..

I don't think another player will get thru to him...

T_Man

 

I'm really just comparing dynamic player vs. dynamic player from a high level. Philly and Denver had teams built around Iverson. Some worked, and had success and some didn't. When we look at other flawed stars like Iverson (as you even allude to, his flaws weren't always just off the court), it helps the Harden situation to look at what worked and what didn't.

James Harden is such a unique talent, and individual that we aren't going to find an exact replica flawed star to compare, but we (well the organization at least) needs to put time and effort into recognizing and fostering the right environments that has worked for flawed stars in the past such as Iverson, and now with Harden.

I think there is alot we can look at with the Iverson situation that can help paint a better picture of what this guy might need to be successful.

 

Iverson would dominate in this guard dominant league now.

You can't touch guys now on the perimeter. With Iverson's skills and just his crossover alone...it would be scary.