James Harden is a great player and he has all the right tools to be one. He has so much talent, size, strength and athleticism as well as good Bball IQ. That's one of the reason why he's able to create for himself so well as well as others. This kind of things happens to great players all of the time. They will miss that last crunch time shot over and over and over again. But that's part of the game, everyone always fails more than they succeed. There are 30 teams in the NBA, only 1 team win each year. The other 29 teams fail. You can't fault the other 29 teams for failing. The best team wins, its simple. Tonight against the Heat, James Harden and the Rockets are one of the youngest team (if not the youngest) going against the best team in the NBA. You can't fault them for losing against the best. The most positive thing I've seen from this team is that even though they are the youngest team in the NBA, they are playing much better than a lot of other lottery teams.
Not when they're 23 and adjusting to a new team as the new go to guy. Context man, context. Don't put Gasol in that 2nd tier group, he's terrible. Let Harden play, it's the quickest way for him to know where his ceiling is and when to push. Restricting him initially does more long term damage for what... a #15 pick instead of 11? You know he won't be throwing up step back 25 footers w/ 15 on the clock at the end of the season. ..
i actually thought lin played decent up until the airball. and i seem to remember koby ending the fakers playoff run in '97 with an airball 3 as well.
I don't think Gasol is terrible. Lakers won like what? one or two championships with him playing a major part in it. Melo has only gotten past the second round once?
Did you hear what Matt Bullard always say about the Dream. After the coach draw a play in key moment Hakeem will go a tell his team, forget about the play just give me the ball. Kobe, Jordan, and all great player have pass on a couch drawn play to go on Iso mode many times. And is not like there is no logic for Harden not sticking to the coach play, he thought that with Miami defender all begin same size and when you are force to take a 3, Miami will have double any pick and roll and would have taken the ball out of his hand son he went for the iso play instead.
I don't think Lin has an offensive skillset. Anyone can penetrate playing open YMCA ball with shooters at the corners. Barbosa won 6th man of the year with D'Antoni and was ridiculously efficient in that system. I'm evaluating Lin as an individual talent - where he doesn't have the raw tools to have an entire system tailored around him. And that too, one that requires a lot of iso talent the Rockets don't have, over winning. Has nothing to do with one airball. He'll improve from where he currently is, and you can be optimistic about it.. but let's put more resources into building a team with a high ceiling over waiting for a miracle.
Lin & harden are both identical players in the fact that both are attacking PNR guards. Nobody is saying build an offense around Lin over Harden. The fact that they are both similar makes it easier. The offense is running through Harden way to much & Lin is reduced to a spot up 3 point shooter. He is terrible at that. He needs to be making plays with the ball in his hands but the ball is in Hardens hands now way to much. It wasn't like this in the first two games (DET, ATL) Don't need to build an offense around Lin just give him the ****ing ball put him at the top of the key & let him do what he does best facilitate. I swear to go if I see him at the corner 3 spotting up again I will shoot myself.
LeBron went from a great player to the player when he stopped listening. Some people whined about him deferring too much, others said he dressed too nice, Mike Brown played him too many minutes to keep him off welfare, couldn't hit clutch shots, blah blah.. he just plays the game now, and you can see the change. Harden won't be LeBron, but with the right mentality he can be a top 10 player. The game is there.
Fair point, but there are different ways to play a PG off PNR's than just sagging and overplaying. League kind of has a grip on how to manage Lin now that he's scouted, so expanding his game is the only option left. Let's see how Lin progresses.
Drive and dish, that's what Harden should have done, dribble, and shoot meh - dumb as a rock the defender has no pressure Can't stand Harden now! When he was first traded he seemed like he had no attitude, was humble and a team player. But right now he is looking a lot like Melo, at his his most Diva'ish mode.... Brushes off interviews, runs off when he plays bad, ignores his team mates, and plays hero ball. Don't think this will end well. Someone is going to get burnt and trades will happen
dude harden has to learn to stop playing this ISO ball. Unlike lin, he seems to get a free pass from the coaching staff. He really hasn't done much except for the 1st two games missing a lot of important shots. Almost like when he disappeared against miami in the NBA finals last year. I've been hard on Lin because he is really playing like a P***y. But Harden has been playing like an A**Hole with his ISO plays.
Gasol won two championships with Kobe. And it was Gasol and Kobe who put the team on their backs and dragged them to the championships.
Well, currently the team is set up to iso Harden. It was the fastest way to develop an offense from scratch. Harden's assist opportunities will increase as the playbook gains sophistication. The Rockets are realistically still in their preseason - sorting out each other and the playbook.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that Harden is a BALLER. BUT he needs help. Lin is awful and Chandler is way too inconsistent on the offensive end to be relied on heavily. I have zero doubt that Harden will go on to become a star in this league, but we need to make some more moves. Lin is not a starting pg.. I'm sorry but its true. We need a guy like Eric Bledsoe
He has expanded his game that is what is so frustrating. His passing is significantly better than last year. All those bounce passes in transition, threading the needle etc he did none of that last year at all. His defense has also been incredibly impressive, stripping LBJ & Ray Allen a couple of times. Finally his transition play is also a lot better. Last year I would cringe every time in transition because he would always turn it over. I don't think he has done that once thus far. His shooting is the biggest issue. So then my question is why are making him a spot up shooter at the corner 3 when everybody & there mother knows he is a bad shooter. Put the ball in his hands and let him pass more & facilitate. I don't know if it is the coaches call or Lin just deferring way to much or a combination of both. I think things will iron themselves out eventually so not to worried honestly this was a really fun game.
Trades are going to happen regardless, Morey is the gm. It took Melo years to get the reputation that he has. You shouldn't be quick to give it to Harden. He's only 23. There are times when he will avoid the media. I agree with Ronny, let him go ISO. He will realize that he needs to defer to shooters and when to do it. I realize most of you think Lin is the second coming. Lin has played less games than Harden, is more unrefined and definitely is not the better shooter right now. He will develop with Harden, but at this point Harden is a better option for the offense to be tailored around.
