An ISO player may not help the team as much as some fans imagine (USA Today)

On my list also, so second the motion. Just learned how to use the ignore list yesterday. A thing of beauty.

On the other hand, thread title is stupid.

Considering the small sample size, and that when Jeremy Lin doesn't play the alternative is Tney Uglas ...

 

I'm not sure we can really know what the team will look like till season's end, since they're still going through growing pains. The figures from the beginning of the season are very different from they are now, and they will be even more different by season's end.

 

I'll continue to post however I want. Use the ignore function like the rest of the LOFs that can't handle the internet

 

Defense is a team effort, especially PnR defense that requires rotation and switching, where guys need to shout out and coordinate. I think improved playing time together and chemistry can help somewhat.

Due to the pacing and emphasis on fast break points, I don't the current configuration of the Rockets will ever be an elite grind-it-out defense, though that doesn't mean they can't improve and become better at it.

We do need an lockdown perimeter defender (Tony Allen, Iman Shumpert type) that many contending teams have, but we're not at that contending stage yet and can afford to wait for such a guy to either develop (Chandler Parson?) or be acquired through trade/free-agency.

Further, I think the fact that Harden does so much on offense could be one of the reasons he's so bad on defense, due to lack of energy. One solution is to have him share the offense burden more with Jeremy Lin and spread the playmaking (Delfino, Parsons, etc.) as well as the scoring to involve more of the team and ball movement. That can help Harden save some energy for defense. He will need to become a two-way player if he ever intends to be truly elite like LeBron, instead of a one-way player like Amar'e Stoudemire.

Turnovers can also be partly attributed to lack of chemistry, especially the misses on some alley-oops connecting or incomplete passes where guys aren't expecting it. Then you have the turnovers simply due to the guys not being skilled enough (fumbled catches by Asik, etc.) that you can only hope will improve if you can get guys to develop (if they can) or by replacing them with a better player. To be honest, it will require both chemistry and player development. For example, Asik needs to be a better catcher and finisher off Harden/Lin lobs, and Harden/Lin need to learn Asik's limitations (no more low passes from Lin to a big man who can't bend low, no more high lobs from Harden where Asik looks WTF at him as if Harden expected Asik to leap that high and catch it as if he was Tyson Chandler, both of which happened earlier in the season, I think). I'm not picking on Asik, just using it as an example.

So basically cutting down turnovers and improving defense comes down to a few things.

1) Improved team chemistry. They had no training camp after the Harden trade scrambled the roster. And they were a newly formed team anyway.

2) Player development. Lots of young guys learning new roles. Asik was never given such offensive focus in Chicago.

3) Replacing with better talent where possible. Like Morey's trying to do with the two recent free agent signings.

4) Changes in coaching. For instance, building a better balanced offense so that Harden can save some energy for defense. Maybe doing more defensive drills.

 

Hey, it's your choice whether you want to contribute meaningfully to discussions or just troll the internet. No worries. Just don't expect others to respect you.

 

Don't say much about ISO. Might dispel the myth that Lin is some sort of sieve on defense compared to Tony Douglas. And Beard can work harder on defense?

 

you're right if Harden concentrates more on his D rather than his O, Rockets obviously should have a better W-L record

 

What this article doesn't take into account is who was on the court for the opposing team when Lin or Harden was on or off the floor. And what other Rocket player (or players) was on the court with Lin or Harden. And how was the opposing teams main offensive weapons playing during that game.

For example: Against OKC the game was close when Lin was on the floor but when he went out OKC pulled away... Now you and the writer of this article might think OKC opened up the lead because Lin was on the bench... People like myself tend to think it was because KD was 1-8 during the time Lin was on the court. If Lin was guarding KD, then your point and this article is valid _ But he wasn't so it's not...

This article and the numbers they came up with doesn't take into all the aspects of the game so basically its a bunch of garbage...

 

This kind of analysis is where the saying "there are lies, damn lies, and statistics" comes from.

 

Lol at looking for respect over the internet. You must live a great life. I bet your walls are plastered with Lin posters and you only leave your room when your mom calls you for dinner

 

I agree with you about Harden's defense because he was a good defender when he was with OKC (just like KMart is playing good defense now that he isn't the main scoring option)...

I think when other players become more consistent on offense his defense will get better.

 

I don't think anyone wants Harden to concentrate on D instead of O, but to do D in addition to O. Like LeBron, who was in the running from DPOY according to some last year, in addition to scoring like mad. But that means a more balanced offense where the burden is spread with Bosh and Wade. There's no Bosh and Wade here. But you have other capable players, albeit not at that level, in Chandler Parsons and Jeremy Lin and the rest of the team. Even McHale has mentioned that we're relying too much on Harden for offense and that it's not good for the team.

I'd rather Harden develop into a two-way player like LeBron, than a one-way player like Amar'e Stoudemire.

What you're propose is a false dichotomy about O and D. It's possible to have both, not either or. But to have both, it means trusting the team more and shared and balanced offense so that he's not too wrung out for defense with only enough energy to be a traffic cone. I believe he's capable of playing defense, you seem to think otherwise and that he doesn't need to do D. Sounds like I believe in Harden more than you do.

 

It helps no matter what. Without Harden, this teams is no different than the team for the past 3 years. They were a bunch of good role players with no one to send it home down the stretch. Basically a team fun to watch but no one outside of Houston that took them seriously. It's nice to have some recognition for once.

Give me a Harden every time. The new team can finish where the old one leaves ya hanging.

 

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not a lot about the team's defense... but it shows Harden got a lot of things on his mind figuring out.

 

No, even without Harden this years team is not the same as last year's team. Last year's team was at or near their ceiling. This year's team is filled with youth and upside. Even without Harden, even if last year's team and this year's Harden-less team ended up with similar records, it doesn't mean the two teams are the same going forward due to the ceiling/potential.

 

all I'm saying first and foremost Lin needs to learn to shoot at a better % and Parsons, Morris, and Patterson to play more consistently in order for them to have a bigger share of the offensive load

then I believe harden get better on D once he doesn't have to carry that big of a load offensively

 

CAN WE STOPPPPPPPP please.

Sure the team need to rely on Lin more. But lets not ignore that Hardens the reason we're here today.