At least in this game Harden just missed 0/3 Isos instead of turning the ball over twice at the end in the last game.
uh dribbling for 7/8 of the remaining minute and chucking it at the last moment isn't exactly controlling the game clock.
Yes Harden was good in the 1st half of the season, but look at his numbers since march. March: 5.7-14.6 .389% April: 7.5-19.3 .390% Playoffs: 7-19.3 .363%...4-25 16% on 3pts this series... in April he averaged 5.1 T/Os per game...in these playoffs he is averaging 5 TOs a game also... these are just the pure numbers...Going from an eye test you can also tell there is so much less ball movement as a result of what he does at points in the game...I am not sure how any of that is "efficient" or winning basketball... Granted he has been playing hobbled...
if Chandler Parsons had so much opportunities like harden to play iso and freedom he would be an allstar...
OKC is doing a good job of setting the defense so the help is there if Harden beats his man. There sees to always be a well-formed triangle behind his defender. One on one hero ball won't cut it. OKC has game planned for that. Harden has to move when he is off ball since the defenders are eying him. He needs to get the ball on the move then attack the rim or move the ball without 10 dribbles. Stop letting the defense set.
14th pick on the draft average year after year < James Harden leading is to playoffs even if we lose in round 1
It didn't have to be. With his style of ISO and running down the clock play, he needs to be EFFICIENT. He sure carried us in the 1st half of the season but I would said he wasn't that big of a factor overall through the latter of the 2nd half. Should have rested him more or at least whenever he is struggling.
Yes, but Harden hasn't been trying the same thing over and over. Going back to the Laker's game Harden was too unselfish and was trying pass and ended up turning the ball over instead of taking the shot himself. The first time this game he missed a three. The next time he missed a 19 foot pull up shot. I think every single one of those was a bad decision on his part. Some were worse decisions than others, but at least he didn't just do the same thing over and over. That gives me hope that he's trying different things, and trying to something to fix his problems. It makes sense Harden is making his mistakes at the end of important games. It's the situation that's new for him. When an important game is on the line, he's never been the go-to guy for a team. Now he is. What I'd like is at the end of games for somebody to set a pick for Harden with about 8 seconds left in the shot clock. Or depending on who's defending him, let Harden create for himself like he's been doing. But 8 times out of 10 I'd like the creation to be something going to the basket, not a three, and not a pull up 19 footer unless he's been hot all game especially towards the end. Nobody on this team is going to be able to handle the ball and get their own shot at the end of games except possibly Lin, or Beverly. Their chances of hitting the basket, I'd say is less than Harden's.
We would've won games 2 and 3 easily. Did you even bother to look at the numbers Stephen Curry is putting up this postseason?
Steph Curry is not as good as Harden. He has more personal offense, but he doesn't get his teammates involved the same way. Our team would be worse if we substituted Curry for Harden. We wouldn't even have been in the playoffs to begin with.
