Spurs G5 & 6 Finally Solved?: Was Harden Playing Through A Concussion?

again Harden already had a concussion before and he knew if he complained even a bit he will be sitting a couple of games at the minimum bacause of how the nba concussion protocol works

A player in the concussion protocol program can’t return to the floor until the following:

• He is without concussion-related symptoms at rest.
• He has been evaluated by a physician.
• He has successfully completed the NBA return-to-participation exertion protocol.
• A team physician has discussed the return-to-participation process and decision with the Director of the NBA concussion program, Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher.

Ultimately, the decision as to when a player will return will be made by the team physician.

From the NBA’s media central website, here’s a closer look at what the NBA’s Return-to-Participation protocol consists of:

1. The return to participation protocol involves several steps of increasing exertion – from a stationary bike, to jogging, to agility work, to non-contact team drills.
2. With each step, a player must be symptom free to move to the next step. If a player is not symptom free after a step, he stops until he is symptom free and begins again at the previous step of the protocol (i.e., the last step he passed without any symptoms).
3. It’s important to note that there is no time frame to complete the protocol. Each injury and player is different and recovery time can vary in each case.

 

Bro.... Chill....
1) just excuses in general.
2) there can be more than one important thing. I was referring to Harden and his personal development.
3) Harden is an amazing player with an elite bball IQ, and his mental toughness is growing with time. But no, he is not on the level of guys like Kawhi or Hakeem etc. that are unshakeable. I wouldn't put Lebron on that level either just fyi.

 

edit - double post

 

that lefty layup he missed on Danny Green...

something was definitely up with him

Harden was dominating SA that entire game 5 until the moment that @DonKnock pointed out, and then after that he’s getting stripped and can’t get to the rim...then in game 6 he looks completely lost and is a shell of himself playing like we had never seen him play before

Why would Harden just decide to quit after game 5 when there’s a game 6 at home with no Kawhi? Why would he decide to throw away an entire year of MVP level work just like that?

 

what's to improve from 2 time runner-up MVP? he needed to have a better team around him like Steph? he needed to get those 2 additional rebounds like Russ?

Harden can improve and be Lebron/Durant combined and but until he has a second star he ain't goin nowhere. Ask Lebron "I need at least 2 stars to compete" and Durant "can't win with those cats I need a super team to compete".

Kawhi unshakeable? you mean Pops and the rest of the Spurs winning almost all games without Kawhi are unshakeable

 

I’m good with the concussion excuse.

But “no one expected them to get past the Spurs anyway so who cares how they lost” is a horrible argument.

 

Lol. Put down the coffee my man.

 

no that's not an excuse for Harden & the rockets playign bad/running out of gas after he was elbowed by LMA

but that's for people who are still butt hurt about last year's 2nd round, 6th game exit.

what did you expect from MDA's 8 man rotation and Rockets rotation with Dekker and Harrel without Nene anyway?

 

I mean where did you even get Kawhi is mentally elite over everyone else or putting him at the same level as Hakeem? Spurs fan?

 

Not a Spurs fan at all. I have just watched the game for a long time and Kawhi never reacts. Good play, bad play, media love, media hate or whatever -- the dude just stays focused on the moment at hand. The 'strong silent type' much like Dream.

 

I, like any fan of the team who was excited that they got as far as they did, expected them to play better than they did in game 6. Not necessarily win, but freaking compete. That’s why we were excited. If the expectation is that they’ll flame out in embarrassing fashion, why even tune in to the second round?

 

Maybe I'm just optimistic but I don't think it would, mostly because basketball isn't a sport that causes concussions as a matter of course the way football or even soccer do. The NBA might take a little ding but it wouldn't be like the NFL, where guys are banging skulls every single play and they've got some serious stuff to figure out if the sport is going to sustain itself long-term.

 

The fact that people think this guy has no heart is an absolute joke. James Harden has carried that franchise for years without a legit 2nd star, played through numerous injuries (small things, but other players sit if they have those) he goes to the rim all night, takes hits for this franchise on every drive. To the head, to the arms, body contact, whatever. Nobody in their right mind doubts James‘ heart and love ror houston and the fact that people were hating on him after the series had me ashamed of being a rockets fan. Beard is the real deal - show him the love he deserves. Beard is love- beard is life

/rant

 

running out of gas/having concussion, winning 2 games as the lone superstar against a clearly superior championship calibre and physical team, whose HOF coach only watched video on how to stop you all year, beat you 3-1 and has 6 more wins (7 wins without their best player) in the regular season, without HCA, 8 man rotation, dekker, harrel, & no Nene is not competing?

name another superstar you would trade harden who could have "competed" in the 2nd round game 6?

lebron on the rockets last year wouldn't even have reached second round game 6

or name someone else aside from Lebron "I need at least 2 other superstars to compete" or KD "I can't win with those cats I need a super team to compete"

 

After seeing some clips from that game a couple weeks ago I was sure something was wrong with him.

I think you’ve nailed it with this thread.

 

The thing is, it's quite possible that you may have some points there. It has happened more than once, and there's definitely been reasons to question Mr. Harden.

But what I truly would like to say is this:

**** you.

 

We have to tell Stephen a ****

 

the difference here is that it analyses play by play after the hit on his head.
for the Rockets or Harden denying it , it's very possible because they want to protect themselves and Harden is a tough guy and would never quit in a decisive game unless his injury is severe
i'm sure years after today we'll know the truth

 

damn i was always thinking something serious happened to him, and never believed he was quitting, now i'm seriously convinced he had a concussion but didn't want to sit, whether or not the team knew that we don't know