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

I believe this. Harden has always said he keeps playing, even in garbage time, because he likes to play. What's good for the team is a different question.

Harden plays too much, and he stays on the court when he shouldn't. He also has never played all-out point before, so he came into the season with no perspective on what it's like to play that role for 82 games, much less the playoffs. He should get smart like LeBron and manage his own use.

 

I wish we had Jet Terry instead of Bobby Brown as our 12th man. Harden needed some sage advice, not a crony friend who is too old to ball and hasn't ever done anything on the court.

 

Facilitating help?

Spoiler

 

Whats gonna be next years excuse?

Fukin lame...same **** every year...mark my words

 

when it comes to rest fo rharden, this problem can easily be solved if they STOPPED MAKING HIM DO EVERYTHIGN ON OFFENSE!

some possessions he needs to just be a spot up shooter or screener. as a strong guard he'd make good screens.

also needs to play off the ball more. have someone else set him up. like ariza, he does way too much. i cant believe this hasnt been fixed yet.

 

Screw it. Bring in Derrick Rose. Facilitator off the bench. Trade Ryno and Lou's expiring.

Capela/NENE
Ibaka/Z.Randolph or PPatterson
Iggy/Ariza
Beverly/E.Gordon
Harden/Rose

2nd round exit. I like it. hehehe.

 

McHale gave him some "strategic rest" in an elimination game 6 in the 2nd round of the playoffs.

 

MDA is delusional. Same with his "there's nothing wrong with a 7-man rotation" crap.

The fanbase booed and walked out on the team! Still talking about adjustments? Harden lost the city, man! The fans know.

Too tired? He couldn't clap and say play harder to his teammates? He couldn't show leadership even though he had no energy? Nah, he does it every year. His teammates bail him out.

 

I'm sorry, but that is beyond weak. The Clippers who no one will ever mistake for a mentally tough team lost a heartbreaking Game 5 at home to the Spurs 2 years ago. They went into San Antonio in an elimination Game 6 and won and then held on in an epic Game 7 to close out the series. And that team had no bench and had to be mentally and physically exhausted by the time that series was over(and they still managed to win 3 out of their first 4 games vs the Rockets in the next round).

If you can't recover from a tough playoff loss and at least show up for a game at home when your opponent is missing their 2 best players and your season is on the line, then you're never gonna accomplish anything of substance in the playoffs. The Rockets better think long and hard about whether this current roster(especially with Harden leading it) has the mental fortitude to win a title. Because I don't wanna end up watching the Rockets be the West's version of the Raptors.

 

How many elimination games did that '95 championship team survived? 5?

This was the 1st elimination game for the current team and they melted like butter in a pan. But, you guys go ahead, it is one damn excuse after another. Typical of recent generations.

News to everybody: tough it out!

 

Yep. 2 in the first round vs Utah. And 3 in the 2nd round vs Phoenix. And Game 5 against the Suns was on the road with a flu-weakened Drexler that took overtime to pull out. That bunch had the biggest b@lls I've ever seen on a championship team. If Harden had 1/10th of the heart of those guys, we'd already be looking forward to the WCF.

 

So devastated that he's spending this entire week partying. Everyone in the league calls Lebron a b**** but when he lost in the finals in 2011, he stayed home watching tape for an entire month before signing up with Hakeem's post-move lessons.

 

As sad as it sounds, I sometimes think Harden's fans care more about his reputation and legacy than he does.

 

Find more players that Mike can "trust". That is basically pointing at the guys who have worked hard all season and saying I don't trust you to do anything. That is a good way to separate the team. Those bench guys might as well quit the team.

Mike should have spent a lot more time in the season playing those other guys building them up. He would have starters out there vs a trash team when we are up by 30 with 2 minutes to go or something. He needs to have played with rotations more and got the other guys playing time.

 

They have those guys, the just need to play them. When Harden goes on bench it isn't like the Thunder where they go down by 30. Sometimes the bench holds their own or even gains ground. Lou, Gordon, Beverley aren't just some scrubs who can't do anything with the ball. They can play the point for at least 10 minutes while Harden is on the floor.

 

McFail was a bad coach in my opinion but Dantoni would have never let this happen. Harden could have been scoring the ball in their basket giving them points and Dantoni wouldn't have benched him.

 

Then I guess what you and I think make a coach "good" or "bad" is completely different...

I believe a "good" coach can make tough decisions that benefit his team. I think a "bad" coach does not.

McHale likely got fired for benching Harden that game, as he wanted him gone the next year after 11 games. D'antoni will keep his job for keeping Harden on the court.

 

So Harden was a no-show even in the exit interviews. And Morey and MDA are still making excuses for him.

That sums it up-- a baby.

 

I agree. But in the end you have to trust your best player, going forward you'll never win if you keep taking him out when things are not going well, he needs to learn how to be effective in those games, if not, the Rockets will never win ****.

 

The whole team was zapped and zonked. Because they gave everything they had and it wasn't enough. They played to the very limits of the system and their talent. By halftime of game 6 Harden knew it was over. Before halftime really. They had no answers to stop the Spurs offense nor to be more efficient with their own offense.

I believe Harden is devastated. And while I don't like that he is devastated my own thought is it may have taken this type of devastation for him to realize what he and this team really need to win a title. At least I'm hoping that's the case.