This is true. I have to preface this thread with after watching him for 82 games, I believe he has the ability to become one of the greats. Which is why this mentality is important. Because without that ability, you are just a headcase.
I'm sure that fans of the Thunder have to be making the same comments about their star player, Kevin Durant. After all, he had 7 turnovers himself. Clearly, Durant is a selfish black hole that doesn't care about team success as long as he gets his.
rofl I like this. but I can agree he needs to learn the hard way to miss shots...but still - he needs to realize it's okay to pass too...team game man.
Oh and I think even in the Spurs game where he hit the game winner, he passed to Delfino for the last shot, when Delfino tried to dribble it and had to call a timeout cause he fumbled it.
This is the way i look at all the all-time greats...we all know that when given a clean look at the basket...they will make it more than miss it...but a few excelled at making sure that all 5 players believed that if they get that opportunity to do so, they too will make it... I will never forget that Jordan pass to Kerr...Jordan if he wanted couldve just tried to play hero ball, but he knew his situation and they planned out what they would do when Jordan was doubled..."Kerr, if i pass you the ball shoot it...you'll be wide open..." and that is what happened... Eventually players get that confidence as an entire unit...the reason why Miami is the favorites to win it all this year is actually quite simple, all five players believe that the moment their number is called, they will come through...that takes tremendous amounts of trust from the greats on a given team...Hakeem trusted his teammates to deliver...Jordan, Lebron, Magic, Bird...we will always have in our memory of these guys being the best at playing basketball individually, but what made them great was to get the rest of their team to play at a higher level... The difference of shooting a wide open 3 point shot during the middle of the game and at the crucial moments of the game is trust...Harden will get there...and i slowly think he is learning that the players on his team have certain skills...if he wants to be that superstar...he has to bring it out of everyone...this trait i believe will only come with time...
**** this iso ****. How many of you guys are calling out iso before he even crosses half court. Thats why these playoff games have been so close even without WB. Its been scouted his,euro-step, his trying to draw contact without trying to make the basket. Even my dead grand-ma knows the play before we cross have court. His iso is a predictable as a welfare check on the 1st of the month. We need a new coach with a real system. You would think after a preseason and playing 82 games that we could come up with something better.
McHale, Harden still can't agree on late-game offense http://www.csnhouston.com/basketbal...ale-harden-still-cant-agree-late-game-offense WOW, please bench harden when it's a close game.
Harden hasn't learned. The problem is not him going ISO. The problem is he dribbles on top of the key for 20 seconds without creating any opportunities for better shots. If it's the last possession of course run the clock down. You don't want to run down the clock when there's still 2 min to go in a close game. Harden needs to attack and create early in shot clock. If it fails he can always pull back and have another opportunity. I guess we were all wrong saying it was all McHale's idea. McHale needs to make him accountable. If you can't make contested shots consistently like Durant and Jordan, you don't put yourself in that position.
HArden is great. PERIOD. Thanx to JAMES EDWARD HARDEN we might be contenders very soon. Not even paying attention to all the ungrateful people out there, who probably didn't even watch Rockets past 3 years...
Perhaps you should read the OP before replying. The OP is talking about the mentality behind Harden's ISO play, the guts to shoot at crunch time, instead of ISO itself. My reply to OP, having the mental toughness to take crunch time shot is good. To neglect coaching instructions and stubbornly go ISO is not and is definitely not a trait of the greats. With the often Harden tolerant coaching staff openly saying ISO was not what he'd drawn up, you have to suspect Harden is developing the wrong kind of stubbornness.
I agree it's too early to judge. But ... you can't just put it on the learning curve, and call it he will be fine. To me, what's more concerning is his mental toughness and lack of go-to moves that can beat people when it really really counts when the refs are tight whistled. The jury is still out before he is put in the same sentence with Dream, KD and MJ. Com'on. It's fair for people to ask does he really have it. You can't just put anybody's hands down the stretch and say he will learn b/c the greats have all go through that curve.
One of the things I like most about Harden is he could easily use the media to talk about how tired he is, injured, and every obvious excuse. He just goes out there and plays ball even though he is not anywhere near 100%. It is a non story with Harden, where another player would see it as an opportunity to glorify their story.
There is a fine line between being fearless and being too dumb to realize a problem. We should give Harden some time to mature as a franchise player. So I am not judging him yet. But the ISO plays are dumb. I don't know whether it's him or it's the coaching. Maybe both. That's just bad offense. And Harden has not been playing well for some time now. I hope it's just lingering injuries or fatigue, and not some deeper problem in his game.
:grin: Its is cause he's young, he's only 23 for Gods sakes. What were they saying about Lebron up to until he won his ring, "LeChoke", "LeBrick" etc. Harden is n will stay a superstar
What I am saying it's still early. I have seen enough of him that still makes me believe him. But in the past 5 games or so, he has also shown some to cast a tiny doubt in that belief. Will he be a super star, hmmm, we will see.
