I 100% agree. To which I'll add that trust (or distrust if you will) can be a self-reinforcing thing on and off the court. To trust in a teammate and then be vindicated with a score or a win builds great rapport among teammates. But to distrust your mates, demand the ball, and then conspicuously fail in crunch time???? Not one shot mind you, but over multiple possessions? It's a quick road to finger-pointing and silent skepticism if you ask me - not just among fans (which is evident in the aftermath of Game 5) but possibly among the team as well. Strange thing is I dunno why Harden would not trust his teammates??!! They were recruited FOR him. To surround him. To play alongside him! I worry that the Game 5 debacle not only hurt Harden's public opinion as an MVP candidate but also hurt his locker room opinion as the go-to-leader they can put their trust in. Publicly, they will obviously say differently post-game or what not that they still support Harden, but privately, I hate to say it, but Q4 and OTs like yesterday can stoke (dis)trust issues that can linger. Hopefully, I'm wrong, but should these conditions repeat themselves in Game 6, would you trust Harden with the ball? theSAGE
You are so full of SH*T! Harden doesn't trust his teammates or the system? Where TF have you been all year long? He lead the freaking league in assists. How can you not trust your teammates when you are getting the MOST ASSISTS in the league? When Harden sits, we all cry as soon as the bench doesn't produce immediately and beg MDA to put Harden back in. Only on occasion has the bench produced enough for us to say let Harden rest. It is not consistent. Have you not read at all about how Harden bought into the system? He could have easily said NO, I'M NOT PLAYING PG...GET ME A REAL PG TO RUN THE SHOW! But he didn't. He accepted the role and in his first year he lead the league in assists while increases his scoring slightly and even increasing his rebounds. So STFU with this bullsh*t that you want to spew about him not trusting his teammates and the system. The pass he made to Gordon close to the end of overtime, if Gordon hits that shoot everyone is talking about how much faith he has in his teammates to hit a shot from 35 feet away in crunch time. So again, just STFU man...I can't stand your hate of Harden. Did Harden have some bonehead turnovers and possessions last night that hurt us in crunch time? ABSOF*CKINGLOUTELY! But like the poster above said, MDA not only played him more minutes, but with the 7 man rotation and small ball, Harden was guarding BIGS almost the entire freaking game. I wondered so much why he kept shooting 3 late in the 4th and in overtime. But it totally makes sense that he just didn't have the energy to drive past these guys with the wear and tear from the game. Yes, we shot 7 3s only in overtime....that tells me that the players were TIRED AF! They still should have tried to drive the ball though, so no excuses. But this narrative about him not buying into the system or trusting his teammates is PURE TRASH just like all of your posts! YOU AND YOUR POSTS ABOUT HARDEN SUCK MAN! JUST GO TO THE SPURS BOARD OR ANYWHERE OTHER THAN HERE!
Man you are schooling DD and Bholic on how to look at this correctly. But don't expect closed biased minds to see it clearly as most normal people can. That's not how the world works. But I love the way you have spelled it out clearly and your two posts!! KUDOS!!!
So much lack of understanding in here. Just because you lead the league in assists, does not mean you completely have bought into the system particularly in crunch time. Harden is not a finished product as a PG, this is his first year doing it, he will be much more efficient in a couple of years, and you will see what I mean. He has to move the ball and his body, and do it when things are good, and when things are bad, currently that is not the case, he slows it down and tries to go one on one too often..... Look at the Spurs they continually run their offense regardless of situation, they are a more disciplined team who all work within the system, we don't yet. Look at Golden State they do it too.....all championship teams do....... DD
But again, as has been highlighted, with his team down by 2 with the ball in his hand and only 45 seconds left in the game, Harden passed to Gordon, who scored a three-point FG.That isn't a lack of trust, it's the opposite. I agree that Harden hasn't reached his peak as PG in D'antoni's system. But I don't think trust during crunch time is the real issue.
There is truth to what @DaDakota is saying here, but I would replace the word "trust" with "chemistry". The Spurs have chemistry, they've built it over many years of playing and winning together in Pop's system. For the Rockets, this is a brand new team that was just put together this season. New head coach, new role for Harden, new teammates, added Lou Williams at the all-star break, so we can't really expect them to execute the way the Spurs do at this point. That's not a knock on the Rockets as much as it is a compliment to the Spurs.
DD, I know damn well I've seen Harden throw it ahead to Ariza or Gordon after an inbounds pass to see what if they can create a quick bucket... Ariza more times then not will take 2 dribbles, pivot, then kick it back out.. Harden trusts his teammates whole heartedly. He pretty much ALONE creates scoring opportunities in this offense for teammates...as a great PG should.. Everybody isnt Nash or CP3... His efficiency will only go up if he has the ball fewer times... With this current group, there's no way his efficiency will be what YOU want it to be... He's the scorer.. The ballhandler.. The playmaker... The unfortunate leader.. It is what it is!
I don't buy this lack of trust narrative. I remember one of the match ups during the regular season against OKC he passed to Nene under the basket for the game winner instead of taking the shot himself. Last night he just went full r****d. That is all.
Beyond trust. Someone needs to explain why you would dribble out the shot clock on an isolation when you are behind and the other team will get the ball back with plenty of time. I mean what sense does that make?
I think he may have been dazed from a head injury earlier. That would be the only thing that explains that.
Harden would be projecting his OWN faults onto teammates then. Its HARDEN the one launching junky PULL-UP 3 after 3 without working for a better shot. Harden shot 4-15 threes. He can mistrust teammates all he wants - But Harden doing it his way in that way simply doesnt work. Crazy as it is with Harden already leading league in assists, he could still turn maybe ONE of his turnover possessions into a better shot for teammates or himself. Or turn one or his bad pull-up 3's into a better possession also.
I don't think it's a lack of trust at all. I think Harden wants to take the big shots so he gets the accolades that come with it (if he makes them). Unfortunately the flip side is you get pounded by the fans/media if you miss them. I think it's more of Harden buying into all the MVP talk (trying to justify his case) as opposed to buying into the system. I will give Harden credit however as he's willing to take the big shots and isn't lacking in confidence. A lot of players don't want to take the big shot. Harden's game would be SO much better if/when he learns to take care of the ball better and reduces the lazy/bad decisions. Been saying it ALL year....when you turn the ball over you just PISS AWAY an opportunity to score and in the playoffs (against good teams like the Spurs/GS) it's the difference between winning and losing.
He trusted them just fine this season. Gordon is having one of his best years because Harden has got him the ball all season
Knee jerk HARDEN bought into the system and accepted quickly his new role , and elevated his teammates. Yes he has to get better and avoid some fatal lapses which are in my opinion due to fatigue( physically and psychologically) We expect better threads from a supposed rockets fan
I agree. The trust isn't there yet. Not in the big moments. It rarely is with players his age. He also doesn't trust the refs to officiate him the same late in-game, so he restructures his game. They've somewhat conditioned him into being scared of contact late.
You guys are missing the point, or some of you are. Yes, he trusts the system mostly - but in crunch time in crucial games he doesn't. 1. He walks the ball up the court - this is not what D'Antoni wants - he wants more pace - Harden thinks he knows better = lack of trust. 2. He holds the ball until the shot clock is about to expire and launches a contested 3 - not at all running the offense, or moving his body and the ball - it gets sticky - sound familiar = Lack of trust (Still developing it). I am not saying HARDEN SUCKS!!!! I am saying Harden has some growing to do, in both trusting his teamates late in games and in trusting the FULL ON SYSTEM of D'Antoni which is push the pace and look for early offense and the first open shot, let it fly. He has mostly embraced it, just not all the way yet, based upon his play. DD
I mean, I kinda don't blame Harden's lack of trust to a certain degree. He doesn't handle it well (ISO and stepback threes). But look at The System and the people playing in it. It's all based around threes, even when you just need two points. Or any points. Ariza, Anderson, Williams, Gordon...sometimes they can't stop making threes; sometimes they can't start. Ariza driving to the basket...not his strong point. Lou sometimes looks awesome going to the basket, and sometimes he can't hit anything. Gordon seems like the better attacker. Anderson probably could make some midrange shots when his three isn't falling (and he has), but that's anathema to The System, even when we just need to score. This brings us to Bev. I'd trust Beverley if I was Harden. He's a pretty consistent three-point shooter; not streaky like the others. He can drive if he has to. He'll fight like a dog to get his offensive rebound if he misses. He's not a savant at anything, but his energy, especially at the end of games, is something you need if you're Harden, and you're exhausted.
