James Harden said he wasn't in "attack mode" as he attempted a season low three free throws during the loss - Calvin Watkins My question is does he just randomly choose which games he wants to be in "attack mode"? Shouldn't he always be in attack mode? Was last night the "shoot 3s and give up backdoor dunks to Harris mode"? (I know he actually made a good percentage of his threes) How much longer is he going to be this guy who seemingly chooses when to turn it up? He seems to always wait to get beat and then comes out the next game playing great! Example: gets beat by the Nets comes out and plays well vs the Wizards. Same thing will happen tonight. He will be in "attack mode" vs the Kings and all will be forgotten. But he does this ALL the time. It's so annoying. I love Harden I just wish he played with intensity more than just when he picks and chooses to. My rant is over!
I understand that but attacking the basket is the best part of his game! You're telling me Harris is just so good a defender that Harden can't get around the guy? Idk... Harden looked like crap when JBB sat him in the first. It starts and ends with your star player. No way he can come out with the idgaf face.
Doesn't he always just pencil whip these post-game (especially post-loss) interviews? I wouldn't put a ton of weight on what players say in these. They're obligated to do it and they just want to get through them.
This has to be his go-to phrase then because it's not the first time he's said it. Yesterday it was "attack mode" other times it's been "just didn't attack as much as I needed to" His attacking the basket skills are elite! He can get to the basket on whoever the hell he wants. If he doesn't do it. It's out of pure laziness and willingness. And that's not even taking into account the beauty he put up on defense. Career night for Harris.
It's not like he does it on purpose, I'm guessing. A lot of what makes good players good is their brain. All of these guys have physical talent. But good players are able to find openings to score, are creative with the basketball and can create space, make good decisions, etc. Some games your brain just isn't finding the ways to score like it usually does. Some games a guy might have a good shooting percentage, but they just didn't make much of an impact on the game and didn't shoot very much. It's hard to put into words, but some days you play like a basketball god and can seemingly do anything out there on the floor and some days you just can't figure it out. It's weird, but that's basketball.
I think that's what it is. He just says what he thinks people want to hear. Like in the offseason when he said he was looking forward to playing off the ball and decreasing his turnovers, etc etc.
Cause basketball is secondary to Hard-on now.... Top priority is Khloe, Jay-z, living the superstar life... just geta few highlights, pad the stats and work the brand image... He got his paydays (max/Adidas) now its coast mode...the passion is gone.
Nuggets were playing that Brooklyn Nets defense. Four players with a foot in the paint, and make shooters make 3s. We made the 3s, but didn't do anything else well at all. The offense was decent enough to win this game. The defense was horrible, and it is getting extremely difficult to watch.
Rockets are now 5th in the NBA at 105ppg. At the beginning of the season the issue was that we couldn't score or play defense. Now we are scoring plenty but can't stop anyone. I wonder if that's just something you can flip a switch on? They have good spurts of defense like last night in the second quarter. But I see teams like the Bulls who went from a defensive team to focusing on offense and now are struggling on the defensive end.
Oh yeah definitely! But you'd think with his 3ball working so well his drives to the basket should have been easier with guys having to play him so close to the line. Idk. Maybe I'm just upset about that super slow first quarter and the atrocious defense. Aside from that he played well on the offensive end.
The defense gives and takes away a players strengths. Denver and BK take away the paint when harden drives so there is no " attack mode" for him. He better get ready cause he is facing kawai leonard next week who is looking like defensive player of the year.
Sure, but they're bad shots. I saw a stat that most of his decline in efficiency is due to taking pull up 3s. On top of that, it doesn't involve the rest of the team
He's lazy, last night he was consistently the last one walking up the court not running like the rest of his teammates. Like i said last night, sit his ass on the bench send him a message that a 200 million shoe contract and dating a "hollywood celebrity" doesn't automatically give him respect on the court. Start Thornton. Even though they're both bad at defense, Thornton will move without the ball and actually hit shots instead of driving it to the basket and throwing his arms up in the air expecting to get a call from the refs.
On many nights this season, ok, but last night? Nah. Maybe a couple were contested, but most of them were in the flow of the offense or were for shot clock reasons. Plus, I mean, he shot 63% from 3. If he's doing that, then I'm ok with not doing Dwight post-ups, TJones isolations, or Lawson chicken-with-head-cut-off. Let the man shoot. If you're shooting poorly from the outside, then you have to attack inside. But if you're shooting so hot from 3? Keep firing away. As Matt Bullard likes to remind everyone every game, a 3-pointer is worth an extra point.
