I feel like we should mandate Harden play no more than 35 MPG next year. Kawhi averaged less than that this year (while also missing a bunch of games for load management), no one on the Warriors averaged 35 MPG this year. Pop would do it with great success on the Spurs. Minutes restriction accomplishes a few things. 1. It keeps Harden fresher and allows him to maybe have more in the tank in the Playoffs 2. It forces other guys to develop and step up in order for the Rockets to win 3. It exposes are roster shortcomings and puts more pressure on Morey to make changes 4. It forces MDA to stop being so reliant on Harden bailing the team out. You might argue, what if our team can't win enough without Harden playing more minutes? I would say, if this team needs Harden to carry them again next season to the same extent, then they aren't championship caliber anyway. So what's the difference between getting a 3 seed and losing vs getting a 6 seed and losing.
I don't know about a minutes restriction, but I agree with everything else you said. If you modified it to say that Harden sits more frequently for load management, giddy-up. I am open to minute restrictions as well, but I'm not sure that would have the impact you're looking for. I think that asking the team to win several games during the year without Harden is a good idea. It teaches then to win no matter what, but of course Harden is an excellent option to have on any given play on offense or defense.
2 things that I think are more important and would be more beneficial are dramatically lowering his usage rate and giving him scheduled rest games throughout the season
Harden wasnt tired he just choked. I dont see point in minutes restrictions since they dont hold practices and he walks with the ball in granny mode. Kawhi is exhausted right now despite minutes restrictions and it shows he is not his 100% but magicaly every most high pressure moment he either makes a shot or gets a stop
I didn’t notice fatigue being a big issue for Harden in this postseason (to his credit). He just didn’t play well at times.
Don’t you know Harden has 30 Point game streaks to chase and a turnover title to defend? He’s always resting before June anyways.
Fatigued? In the First round? In a series that went 5 games? If you really believe he was fatigued cause of Utah’s defense maybe he’s just not bout dat life. He played bad cause he played bad not cause he was tired or Utah’s defense.
@Roxfreak724 http://bbs.clutchfans.net/index.php...hould-hold-back-in-the-regular-season.298863/ Anyways, good luck getting Mike or James to agree to this.
Clearly Harden has opted for the Lebron style of "in-game rest" where you walk up the floor sometimes and take a few possessions off. Perhaps a benefit of ISO ball that Harden also likes, when someone else is doing the ISOing, not much energy is needed to stand in the right spot. I don't necessarily agree with this strategy, but if that's the goal then I wish Harden would, you know, stand in the right spot. Too many times he's standing way off the the three point line, telegraphing to the other team, hey don't worry about me on this one. It doesn't take much to walk a few steps up and at least look like a threat to catch and shoot a 3. Perhaps this is one of the underrated reasons he also didn't have many assisted 3s, usually wasn't in position to receive the ball....
He’s at the age where it’s going to start being necessary. Kawhi is younger and we saw the benefit it had for him. I’ve referenced Stockton before and he too had his career extended by limiting his minutes when he reached 30 years of age. He should also sit some games. I’d like to see him average 70ish games from here on out so that he isn’t completely broken down. His workload has been historically great and historically taxing.
Most importantly his legs felt worn out, his shots were flat. Reason might be the Jazz or not, or the entire season of carrying that team on his shoulders.
instead of his minutes, the coach need to restrict his touches... He can't have the ball for more than 12 seconds on every freakin possession, dribbling and milking the freakin clock and make everyone watch his circus show.
