We all know D'Antoni's offense is all about pace of play and catching a defense before they are set by using speed and quickness. Well, Harden doesn't seem to like to play that way most of the time. He likes to walk the ball up and play a more methodical style of basketball overall. We definitely seem to play better when we play fast, but our superstar wants to take his time. Just something to think about going forward maybe for next season and beyond. I know James had a great year statistically playing PG this season, but maybe D'Antoni should consider moving him back to the 2 guard while bringing in a PG that will consistently push the pace. We seem to be a very average team when we play slow. I still believe tho Rockets in 7.
Ehhhh, he was running the ball for 90% of the game but was pretty much exhausted by OT.Harden has been running the ball for majority of the season.
Harden just lead the league in assists whilst averaging 30 ppg why would you want to take the ball out of his hands? Do you want another Ty Lawson situation? We have the best backcourt in the league, Millsap is the missing piece.
"I’m not the fastest guy, from end to end on the floor, or the most athletic. I don’t touch the top of the backboard. But I can get to my spots, get to where I need to be. That’s all that matters. I’m at my own pace. You’re not going to make me play faster than I want to play. Most guys speed up. I need to get to point A, I’m going to get to point A when I want to get point A. When I need to change direction to get to point B, it’s when I need to go to point B. So it’s a different mentality you have to have. It’s thinking a step or two steps ahead of the defender."
I'm not trying to take the ball out of his hands completely. Just have someone bring it up the court quickly to probe the defense for easy buckets. If nothing is there give the ball back to Harden.
He did? show me an example? The rockets were third for pace in the league. Second for most points per game and second for transition points in the league!. Just stop it.Only the Warriors had more transition points then we did. How is that slow? Think before you start a thread.
It's seems clear that we succeed most of the time by outpacing the opponents. I only caught the last quarter of Game 5, but it was obvious that people were tired. Harden, the rest of the team, and the Spurs...everyone looked tired. When James is bringing the ball up the court slowly, I get the impression he's trying to give his tired team a little extra time to get in place. And get himself a little rest. But, as pointed out, a slow pace, half-court game is not our forte. We don't run plays to deal with that. The defense gets set up, there are only 14 seconds left on the shot clock by the time Harden's at the top of the arc. Everyone's defended, half the time no one's coming to set a pick for him to break out, so he ISOs, then does the infuriating stepback, which I'm starting to hate even when it goes in. It's just not a play or an attempt at anything. And at the end of Game 5, he was always short on that shot; it was the clearest sign I've seen in a while of someone not having any legs left to shoot that shot. I don't know exactly what you do in situations like that. We missed a huge opportunity to pull away, though; the Spurs were clearly gassed, too. I guess ideally, you'd have offensive measures set up to keep scoring when the three isn't falling. We clearly do not. Failing that, I guess this is one of those times where you mentally override your tiredness and expend every last reserve of energy and then collapse. Problem is, most won't do that until they're facing elimination, but this was also a critical game, and just a little more effort could've given us the win. I think Bevs has that mindset and fight; they need to look to him when they're just running out of steam.
I don't like when Harden walks it up, but it's been effective. In the 3rd quarter of game 5 he walked it up and the Rockets went up 9. Harden should have then started running it down their throats. He continued to walk it up and the Spurs got back in it. Sometimes I wonder if Harden understands moments, pace, and the importance of some possessions. Man, game 5 has really made me question everything about Harden. I don't trust him..
Okay thread cop. You're probably the only person on Earth that haven't noticed Harden's propensity to walk the ball up the floor this postseason. Think before you make a comment in a thread I've started.
Was he walking it up in the thunder series when we averaged 115 points? Was he walking it up in game one when we smashed them or in game 4? the problem is not the pace for majority of these games. It is us missing wide open threes that he creates. .
That's when you bring in the bench and rest him. The coach needs to make better adjustments if he is slowing it down in an ineffective way.
Again, show me an example where he was to slow bringing the ball up and got called for an 8 second violation. This is the problem, people like you are never around when the team is wining but come out the wood works like maggots when the team loses with a personal problem with harden.. Was he bad in the OT yes, but to detract what he has this season smells like an agenda driven thread,
It was the beginning of the 3rd quarter! He had plenty of rest at that point. You can make the case for Harden being tired because he came in the 7th minute instead of the 6th minute during the 4th quarter and he was guarding PFs and centers.. I'm really not a fan of "he was gassed" excuse though. In fact, I kind of hate it. I agree, MDA has to save Harden from himself. When MDA sees Harden going off the rails, MDA has to make a decision and not trust Harden to fight through. He won't and he can't
