[Feigen] D'Antoni said Harden is "devastated." Open to considering strategic rest.

Yep. This is just MDA and Co trying to weather the **** storm they find themselves in after getting pimp-slapped by the Spurs last night in their own house.

 

It is rest, period. Look at Eric Gordon, ever since he won the 3pt contest, he has not shot lights out. The way the Rockets play, Gordon's legs is wearing him down. And this Flash hasn't played that many games for many seasons. Ryno shot pretty well on 3s in the road playoff games, he got rest from injury. Harden did quit, but because he was mentally exhausted. When you are physically worn, it affects your brain. Shoot less 3s, shot strategic 3s and you will survive playoff series.

 

Sigh. You'll never argue with me in regards to the merit of my actual claim.

Harden uses less energy per game than a player like Ariza or Beverly because he walks or lightly jogs as his mode of transportation when he is on the court while the rest of his teammates actually run the court. Running the court and chasing offensive players around screens and curls instead of playing fake zone defense expends more kJs of energy than running the pick and roll.

 

I remember that too.

This is the reason why i wasn't exactly high on the "tired" excuse after game 5...i mean, we're playing the oldest team in the league after they had less rest than us after they played a hard series with Memphis, they are without their best player and the second/third best...meanwhile Harden yes, he was banging a bit in the post with Pau and LMA, but his effort on defense for the game was mediocre at best, he walked the ball up 90% of the times, he never run around on offense to come out after a screen to get an open shot, no cuts to the basket...i mean, if there's a guy who should not be dead tired it's Harden...unless he plays 45 minutes.

And tbh, two years ago he played better defense, or at least he was way more consistent game after game, hell, i still remember him making some big and winning defensive plays in some games...and he was still fantastic on offense while playing more minutes than ever.

 

Yep. Pop plays nine deep in the playoffs, sometimes ten. He doesn't overtax players during the regular season.

People still salty on this board after this loss, of course, but this info from D'Antoni through Feigen is what I was (and others were) often saying. You can't ride Harden 38 minutes per game for 82 games and the playoffs (let alone Ariza). You have some decent young players who could have given 8 or 10 hustle minutes per game, but, lands'o'Goshen!, they don't shoot threes / haven't played many minutes recently / other excuses blah f***ing blah.

As far as San Antonio playing a hard series against Memphis, so what? Pops kept their minutes low during the season so they wouldn't be dragging ass in the postseason.

This sort of thing also affects even Golden State. They chased that wins record last year and it cost them against Cleveland. Which means, they could very well be two-time defending world champs.

 

I don't think the rest during the regular system is the issue. We have almost 1 week of rest between Round 1 and Round 2. That is far enough rest for recovery. One of the reason Harden seems out of gas in the game is because the bad match ups with Spurs. He has to guard one of their bigs most of the time during the game. You need to pond inside to hold the ground on the defensive end and contribute the whole team on the offensive end. As the coach said, Jame does have his limitation that he is not Lebron or Westbrook. He won't be able to last for the whole series specially against the big and physical teams.

I think if warrior let Andre Iguodala walk due to the cap issue, we should try to sign him. With our Cap room, I think it is perfect for him. He can play the PG sometimes to give James some break. As good as Lou on offense, he just can't play the PG role to organize the team. And don't think PBev is good enough for that role either. Iguodala can also help Ariza on the D as well. But I think the reality might be he doesn't want to leave GS

 

It's amazing how many Harden nutthuggers just refuse to acknowledge this.

Improving his conditioning would solve the vast majority of holes in his game on the offensive side and defensive side.

 

Rest for his joints, knees, shoulders, arms, legs, face, eyes, ears??? It damn well better not be from being tired due to exerting a lot of energy on the court.

 

Its amazing how one girl has soured you so hard on him man. Jebus, that fish lipped bitty ain't worth it.

 

Conditioning and explosiveness. My concern is he won't be able to get it back.

Crazy how much he struggled to finish at the rim at times. He's 27

 

Didn't he have a center in Dwight Howard and went to the WCF? But despite this, he was still a turnover and iso machine.

 

It's amazing how much you project your self worth with James Harden. I'm criticising him, not you.

Stop being so personally offended. Stop living though James Harden.

 

Dude, it's ok, you'll find a better girl. I believe in you. She will come. Hey man, if you need a wing man, I'll even help. I will do whatever I can to help you.

 

Same Dwight that the hawks coach refuses to play him in the 4th quarter? same Dwight who sucks in the low post who refused to play the pick and roll? man you are a idiot. Dwight was/is a cancer. go to the hawks forums they hate his guts there to

 

I won't because it's an argument that can be proven. Harden plays more minutes than those guys and has to shoulder the entire offensive load when he's in the game as well. Played every night, super high usage, and you're saying he's just walking the ball up and down the court. That driving the paint over and over again doesn't expend energy? Crossovers? Euro-steps?

Good on Ariza and Bev for taking the harder defensive assignments, that's what they are for. Pop is reluctant to put Kawhi on the teams best player too. Kobe never guarded the best guy because they didn't want him using all of his energy chasing around Rip Hamilton.

You call people nuthuggers but you don't make it look better when I can't remember the last good thing you've said about James Harden.

 

I'm telling you, in grade school Harden stole his girlfriend. He still hasn't gotten over it. It eats at his soul.

 

If you would read the thread and not just randomly comment idiot, this was in response to him saying that Harden gets beat down low defending centers and thereupon needs rest. The specific discussion has nothing to do with offense

 

I think he's a bit too big...if you look back at his body by year, you can see how he became bigger year after year, but at the same time slower, personally, i think that losing some weight would be more good news than bad news for him, he would still be bigger and stronger than 99% of his matchups, and at the same time he would be quicker, this should also help him stay away from injuries going forward. And yeah, i also noticed that it seems like he's not as good as he was in finishing at the rim.

 

Why harden

Dwight didn't want to be here BECAUSE HE WANTED THE BALL ON OFFENSE TO RUN THROUGH HIM AND HE STOPPEWD PLAYING DEFENSE BECAUSE OF IT. It goes hand in hand. You said he had Dwight. No Dwight was a moron with delusions on grandure ...Harden did not drive Dwight away, Dwights selfish attitude drove him away