1. James Harden's first two games were awesome, but our team has slipped into a mode where it is assumed he'll always be awesome. The problem is the opposing defense now plays for that. (If Harden scores 25 points, but on 25 shots, that's a recipe for losing.) His presence seems to have messed up the discipline of the other players. Instead of running plays involving all five players, they now often stand there watching Harden do his thing......... 2. One of the reasons for the horrid outside shooting is the screens being set don't occur often enough, and the screens themselves have been HORRIBLE. Aside from Harden's two big games, I don't recall the opposing guard being displaced from the ball handler. Since there is no positional edge for the ball handler, the remaining defenders can then stay at home, and the open shots are not there. The screens in my opinion was the difference in the Denver game. The Nugs guards got a lot of good screens, our guards hardly got any. The only player who set decent screens was Cole Aldrich. 3. When we play well offensively, the guards attack the basket. When we don't, they play for the jump shot. (But again, the lack of decent screens may be the cause of the problem.) 4. Asik's endurance is awful. He looks punch drunk when he doesn't have his legs. Then the missed layups and being "outhustled" on the boards. 5. Why has the team abandoned Lin executing pick-and-roll plays? 6. When we get dominated on the glass, why isn't T Jones not put in the game to help mitigate the problem? 7. I don't like playing Lin and Harden being together almost exclusively. The two players should spend less time together and more time helping the young backups. (Lin's biggest weakness offensively is his play away from the ball.) 8. Lin seems to have forgotten that if the defense converges hard, the teardrop shot is an effective option. He was great at that play last season in New York, but seems to have forgotten it. 9. Chandler Parsons gets overwhelmed physically..... He needs to hit the gym. Maybe gain 10 pounds in muscle. 10. McHale seems oblivious to matchup problems........ If Harden is being guarded by a good defender, why keep running the same plays through him and hope for different results? Good teams attack weaknesses, not play for the superstar constantly against a strength. This team look so good in the first two road games. But the two losses at home were extremely disappointing.
Agree with everything but 1. They aren't standing around because they're undisciplined, they're standing around because that's what McHale told them to do.
