Yep, if throwing games is your explanation, then yeah, you're it. eta: I'm still not discounting the possibility that someone has pictures of James Harden with dead strippers.
Well instead of just keep repeating that I'm crazy, can you explain why in your opinion it is absurd?
He's rich. You're still crazy. Why? Tell me that? Don't give me this "the whole NBA told them to do it" bullsh!t, you don't think those guys have just a little bit more pride than that?
WWF is rigged, everyone knows that. But those guys still go out and do what they are told....so you saying WWF wrestlers don't have pride, but that all NBA players have pride?
If they have alot of pride, then why the hell did Harden play the way he did....look like he had no pride or business being out there today.
Absolutely, I think in theory Dantoni's system ( as all offenses should) allows for the midrange shot when the 3 and the layup are covered. Mike said as much when he said "they don't want us to shoot the 3 we will take the paint points." However I also think that there is a preference in the system for driving and kicking to try another opportunity at the 3 when the first guy is run off the line. The issue there is that guys that are not playmakers are forced into a situation where they have to go into the teeth of the defense. It would be OK if it was Gordon or Lou executing that play, but when Ariza and Anderson get run off the line do you really want them to try to dribble and make a play? Furthermore, if we practice something one way the whole season, when a team implements that strategy with intensity ( like the spurs) our guys have little experience making the right decision. And even if they make the right decision, they certainly don't practice making those midrange shots. There are definitely some tough questions ahead not even considering the problem of talent. I happen to think Dekker and Harrell have relatively high ceilings and could become average NBA starters over time. But what if their natural strengths are not good fits with the system? Harrell showed a nice midrange in college but the 3 isn't there yet. Dekker also has consistency issues with his shot. The system wont allow for the current versions of Dekker and Harrell to play much ( slowing their development ) and wont allow Dekker to play the 3 and Harrell the 4 ( the positions at which their physical tools fit best) Dekker and Harrell will likely spend the offseason focused primarily on improving their 3 point shot. What if that is not their natural strength and to improve their shot to a level which increases their playing time takes more than one offseason ? Trying to fit into the system cost them an entire offseason of working on skills which they might have more of an affinity towards ( and therefore would improve at faster rates ) and costs them developmental playing time next year. Take the case of Harrell. He seems to have a nice midrange that if worked on appropriately could become reliable as Scola's was. Isnt that shot a better one to have than for him to work all summer to be able to knock down 3's at 30 percent ? In terms of bringing in outside talent the question is even harder because we've already spent a lot to optimize fit. Guys like KCP would be my top target because of age and overall potential, but we've already invested in Gordon and Williams and KCP doesn't fit the system as well. This offseason is a crossroads in my opinion , we will either double (or triple haha ) down and lock ourselves into a system which ( deprived of proper talent just isn't good enough ) or we will backtrack at the expense of the fit we already have.
Not looking forward to the regular season at all. Looking forward to the rest of the Astros season... someone I think who can really contend...baseball allows for upsets more regularly.
Depressed, but really I don't care about next season. Expect disappointment next season and in the next playoffs if they make them next season. I'm actually glad I watched all of tonight's game. It was the strongest argument ever to not watch any of their games next season or really indefinitely. I've never seen such a terrible game. I've seen lesser teams get wiped, but they were usually at least trying. These Rockets looked like they conceded before the game started. Unforgivable. I'm tired of this team and its inconsistent, usually lacking, effort. Just play the hell out of all four quarters, and good things will happen. No more slow starts, no more Rockets-patented third-quarter lead losses, no more limp attempts at rebounds. Just go play with intensity and fight hard, and if you lose because you were outmatched, at least you tried. This team doesn't even try half the time; imagine if they did. That would be worth watching, even in a loss. This crap tonight...they shouldn't have shown their faces after halftime. Also, this team needs some ability for tactical adjustment. It has none. It's either The System is working or it's in James' hands to perform miracles. When neither works, we lose. The System may get you a decent seed over 82 games, but every playoff game is a unique battle, and when the threes don't fall and/or Harden doesn't get foul calls, playoff teams eat you alive. The team is simply not going anywhere as long as it is so inflexible. So what's the point of wasting nights watching, hoping the threes are on target or Harden gets his fouls or passes smartly that particular night? Nothing's going to change next season. Why should anyone believe that a team that did...this thing tonight...is going to magically get it all together by next season? Same GM/offensive coordinator, same coach, same star. One, two, or all three of these things will need to change to see actual change. It's not going to matter who we acquire. Who would want to come here, anyway, after seeing this? I hate to be this way, but I expect just frustration from this point until something major changes with the way we do things. When that happens, I'll watch again to check it out.
I know, its to the point I'm starting to believe some of the theories like he was concussed or drugged I could reconcile with a situation in which Harden is just physically off, or if he just misses shots But this was a mental issue... and even in games James plays horrifically, I've never seen that many poor decisions. He couldn't drive without attempting a bad pass, he couldn't use a pick without making the wrong play. I've seen a lack of aggression, this wasn't a lack of aggression per say ... its like he forgot how to play basketball and read the defense. Sometimes we say a player looks a step slow. Tonight it looked like harden was thinking and reading about 3 steps slow. I don't know what causes that. Pressure ? Apathy ? Drugs ? Concussion ? Mental Exhaustion ? hahaha The fact that the problem was mostly mental and none of us are in James' head leads to wild speculation. Still, I have never seen anything like that and its quite the mystery.
I'm gonna respectfully disagree with this... Ryno had to subjugate a significant part of his game, i.e. the midrange Dirk 2.0 (http://www.nba.com/pelicans/video/t...eason-Highlights--Ryan-Anderson-HD.mp4-478812) to fit into the hub-and-spoke, drive-and-dish offense. I think he could have proved to be a valuable (but not sole) contributor in the half-court set if he could have gotten more touches for fadeaways at the elbows and around the paint; could have helped his confidence as well when he got a moment out at the 3. The guys I have in mind for this particular system are out of reach, i.e. KD, KAT, and the Greek Freak. They may still be able to scrape one of those talented young bigs out of Philly, or maybe there's some lithe young big in Eastern Europe or West Africa flying under the radar... who knows?
