[Shams] Rockets balance of styles and stars to mark this summer in Houston

honestly I think Harden burning down CP3's kitchen is what sealed the deal

 

Exactly, in fact I would be more angry if they HAD NOT gotten into an argument! You need this from your best players and I could see CP3 wanting more touches, especially considering the turnovers and how he was much less involved in the series. Harden then probably thinks, I’m the leader, my team, the MVP and where were you all these games? Both would be right and that’s fine.

However, I am not sure Harden can take that very well and people have had issues with CP3’s temper before.
And suspending exit interviews is not common for the Rockets, but this is two years in a row where they felt like they should’ve won.

Conclusion: probably no big deal, but there is a small possibility there’s more to it or will become bigger if either or both sides feel strongly about the other’s play or whatever it may be.

 

BOTH players need to do more when they don't have the ball. We need a coach who can hold Harden accountable.

We need a real offensive system based around passing. Paul tried to tell Dantoni's ass this apparently.

 

Chris Paul has GROWN TO HATE dribble dribble dribble dribble

Chris Paul, James Harden Had Verbal Back-And-Forth After Game 6 Loss

Members of the Houston Rockets, most notably Chris Paul, had spirited discussions with Mike D'Antoni throughout the season about incorporating more movement within the offense.

D'Antoni adapted his offense to be more isolation based to allow James Harden to succeed.

The Rockets have had success playing this way in the regular season, but defenses can key in on these types of tendencies in the playoffs with more ease.

In the regular season, Harden scored 1.11 points per possession in isolation. In the postseason, Harden scored 1.04 points per possession in isolation.

Harden and Paul had tense moments with one another throughout the Rockets' Game 6 loss to the Warriors, culminating in a verbal back-and-forth postgame that went into the locker room, according to sources. The exchange was about ball distribution in Game 6.

 

There was something of a clash of styles brewing throughout the Rockets season, with members of the team — most notably Paul — having spirited discussions with Mike D’Antoni about the offense and pushing for more movement, league sources told The Athletic. That type of fast-paced, ball-moving offense is what D’Antoni thrived with in Phoenix, and to the two-time Coach of the Year’s credit, he has adapted it in Houston to allow Harden to succeed in his game.




Houston doesn’t have much space to sign major free agents and still owes $120 million over the next three seasons to Paul. The franchise also will likely discuss a contract extension with guard Eric Gordon.

The Rockets landed swingman Iman Shumpert at the NBA’s trade deadline after he made a strong impact on the Sacramento Kings’ culture and shot 36.6 percent from 3-point range prior to the deal, but his minutes fluctuated in Houston and he could have a viable market around the league’s mid-level exception. Houston had also targeted wing players such as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Rodney Hood, Justin Holiday, Garrett Temple and Wes Matthews during the season, and could turn toward one of those using their tax payer’s mid-level exception.

For his part, D’Antoni has said privately and publicly that he wants to continue coaching. Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta said after the season that D’Antoni will return as coach, and the team stated during the season that it intends to extend D’Antoni this offseason.

Harden is one of the game’s most potent scorers, a brilliant talent who has run into this generation’s best team, so fully moving away from his style of play is not prudent. Something has to give, however, and this became more and more clear to players as the season wore on. The coaching staff will need to continue to develop layers to the offense and pitch this to Harden, Paul and the rest of its core players.

Houston is entering its summer of truth.

 

I mean it is interesting, but a verbal exchange could be them just talking, discussion, or something of the nature besides arguing. And this is the first time we're hearing of it in the last 2 weeks?

That wasn't even worth the read tbh.

 

he sure backed up in that game when he played like he didn't want to go home, so he has every right to be emotional or whatever took place then.

 

I don't think there's that much to this. Maybe privately Harden is unhappy with CP3's rapid decline and injury woes. But that would've been something weighing on his mind all season, not just after Game 6.

But c'mon, ball distribution throughout Game 6? Maybe in retrospect, you could argue CP3 should've had more possessions in the 4th quarter given Harden's costly turnovers. But given how utterly useless Paul was in most of that series prior to the final game, I can't blame Harden(or D'Antoni) for disagreeing.

 

Paul: Wtf happened to you man?

Harden: I don’t want to talk about it.

 

The playstyle was a coaching decision though wasn't it? Sure Harden is comfortable with it, but it is a coaching decision to play that way, and a coach can make the necessary changes.

Of course after losing, emotions are high, so that's no big deal.

 

chris paul the most expensive sixth man in nba history.

 

Why would they go with the series when in that specific game he was playing excellently? He had 27/11/6 in the game, you don't make in game decisions on what has been happening throughout the series.

 

Agreed on the Dwight thing. If anyone is blaming Harden for that, then there's not much saving that person from accepting a negative narrative for James.

I'll chalk it up to frustration for those tense moments. If Harden really told Curry he wanted more ball movement and less iso, then he should be open to some new schemes when training camp starts up. You're just not going to randomly develop that type of offense in the middle of the season or game 6 of a playoff series.

CP3 is probably realizing his age as well and knows he's not going to be as successful in iso situations so is pushing for movement which I like.

This will be an interesting offseason for sure.

 

I've found so much peace with not caring.

 

PJ, you go stand in one corner
James Butler, you go stand in the opposite corner
Clint, set a pick or wait for the lob
Chris, you stand near half court while James dribbles
We'll be fine! We're just gonna play our game.



Chris Paul be like

 

This just in, players frustrated after tough loss.

I am sure MANY people will overreact, though.

 

Maybe it's just me but I don't understand why those two styles can't coexist. The ISO heavy offense clearly works, but can be predictable. Also, doesn't seem like it takes a rocket scientist to get it down (e.g. if you are not named Harden or Paul, go stand at 3 point line, except you Capela, get in the dunker's spot and look for lob or signal to screen...), so why not spend some time learning a motion based offense as well? Obviously it wouldn't make sense to go back and forth play by play, but you could, especially in the playoffs, say, okay we're going to start with motion and go to ISO in specific situations, or vice versa.

 

Because James was also having a great game.