Well in today's NBA you won't be any good if you can't shoot it doesn't matter what else you can do if you're not doing them at superstar level (which Rubio isn't). Just look around the NBA which team will benefit from having a playmaker who can't shoot? Historically only a center is the one who can't shoot, so if you add Rubio in there 2/5 or 40% of the team suddenly can't shoot which makes life difficult for everyone because you can now have the guy guarding him sag and defend other guys. Sure Rubio can pass, but there's a difference between passing and play making, how can you make plays for your team when you're causing negative double teams (ie instead of causing a double team opponents can double other guys because of you)? If Rubio was an athletic specimen he make up for that by constant driving to the hoop, but Rubio isn't just a bad shooter he also has problems finishing in the paint! He basically can't score period, him handling the ball is just an excuse so he can say he's "making plays" instead of being exposed as a non scorer. No wonder Minny is trying to trade him he's hot garbage notwithstanding his contract. The only team I know is GSW, to cover a non-shooting guy you need 3 other good shooters on the team and they won't trade for Rubio because they already have a better pg in their bench. So basically just like Westbrick in other to make full use of his abilities without being harmed by his limitation you need to build around Rubio. Except, Westbrick is actually good enough to justify surrounding him with 4 defensive guys, put 4 super defense guys who don't want to touch the ball around him and Westbrick will get you Ws. Rubio is a nobody, even if you build around him the payoff will be mediocre. I personally put Rubio in the same level as Brewer on our team, basically a 3rd string guy.
Great post. Wonder how Holic will respond to this he clearly wanted to take the ball out Harden and make him play off ball, he's been talking about it since preseason and didn't shut up even when Harden became an MVP candidate the the Rox went to their greatest start since Harden became a Rocket. And @Bballholic wtf dude? Harden giving up his ball handling duty has been your argument this entire year, why are you back tracking and denying this just to win an argument? For you to deny this when you have been spouting this BS since the NBA season started is ridiculous. As Larsv8 said its even in your sig all this time yet you are denying it? WTF.
48 minutes. At 32 minutes each there are 16 minutes when each of them sit and the other runs the shore exclusively. And there is 16 minutes of overlap. They can share those possessions just fine. You're right. It would decrease Hardens possessions. Because it would decrease Hardens TURNOVERS!
You apparently can't read. I've been crystal clear that Harden should be the secondary playmaker. He can run the unit by himself for 16-18 minutes a game when the primary ball handler/distributor sits. And he can run his share of plays when they are in together from the triple threat after the primary handler/distributor gets him the ball in half court sets. The rest of the time he can leak out and finish. The ONLY thing Harden would lose is a hunk of turnovers and bad possessions. Harden's and the team's offensive efficiency would actually increase with the infusion of a handler/distributor of Rubios ilk. Turnovers would decrease and ready shots would increase. Look at Hardens catch-and-shoot efficiency cupboard to his pull up efficiency and teach his offensive efficiency when he gets the ball back at the top after the defense has been contorted. That, combined with the break, is when Harden is most devastating.
you're way too stubborn with this belief that harden and the rest of the team need to play this certain way as if it is absolutely 100% the only way to win. Harden being a secondary to anyone absolutely makes no sense in terms of what is best for this team.
Once again.....distortion. I didn't say secondary. I said secondary ball handler/distributor. You apparently think we can win this way with Everything Harden-centric and him bring the primary handler/distributor. You're way to stubborn in that belief.
and harden is not a secondary ball handler/distributor to anyone besides maybe a handful of guys you can count on 1 hand. and none of those guys are here. Are you still on this specifically Rubio thing because at this point Beverley is a much better overall player and fit here than he would ever be by far. And it's always been that way. Beverley actually got better offensively over time while the other didn't. He addressed the skills needed to fit on this team. While all the reports of Rubio working on his shot mean nothing because to this day he still can't shoot or finish. A perimeter player that doesn't need to be guarded within 5 feet is an absolute negative to the game, especially these days with the talent level at that position.
It is true they are not here. It is not true that there is only a handful. This is why LeBron is going to continue to dominate and him, the Warriors, and Spurs are going to keep vying for rings. All those guys understand the importance of multiple playmakers, handlers, distributors. LeBron is splitting possessions with Kyrie. He gets it. Unfortunately, Harden and you don't.
please tell us the guys that Harden should be secondary to in this league. I would love to hear the over handful of guys. And if I even seen you type Rubio that's where I would stop reading and just fall on the floor laughing.
Oh the Cavs, Warriors, Spurs are going to continue to dominate because these guys split possessions lol Oh ok, look who they have the opportunity to play with next to them. All Stars and All NBA players. Do we see that here? Nah not really. i think that might have something to do with their "domination". As a matter of fact, that's a testament to how good Harden really is at this point. Being able to compete with the likes of those despite the massive talent mismatch.
I agree that we would be a better team with another star level playmaker. Of course we would! GS and CLE have that. Jordan's Bulls had it too. It's a proven recipe for success, but not so easily achieved. I would argue though that you're selling Harden short by insisting that he doesn't get that. He has never had that level of perimeter player on this team. He's had nobody to defer to that could do what he does at the highest levels. I think he's shown willingness to allow others to take the ball and make something happen. I would point to Beasley and Gordon as two examples of this. They were good offenseive players that are confident in their abilities to make something happen and Harden seems to welcome that. It takes pressure off him and makes his life easier when there is another threat on the floor. He is no fool. He does a lot of what he does out of necessity and you can't really argue with the results. So that being said, how do you get your hands on a star level distributer without carving another whole into your roster and thus not really improving at all? Teams aren't in a hurry to just hand over guys like that.
There is a Pete Maravich but he isn't known to people outside the bball circle. I am talking about your use of that name for Harden. Dun try to talk your way out! Not very appropriate.
