I think a lot of ppl are still blaming harden because of his 4th quarter antics: eg. iso plays dribbling through 2 to 3 defenders and commiting TOs or holding on to the rock until the shot clock almost expires. Overall, trying to play hero ball in the 4th as opposed to team ball. Even if they ran more play for Lin or whoever, if Harden continues his 4th Q style of play, he will still be blamed.
Harden should only get the blame if you're arguing that his trade happened AFTER training camp meant they had to retool the playsets and re-establish chemistry. Really, if I'm going to attribute blame, it would be Roster turnover and Youth, with some blame going to the coaches. It doesn't mean the coaches have made non-stop poor decisions, however I do think they're still getting a handle on the roster and implementing the offense and defense. Sure, they've made a few dodgy coaching decisions (like Asik out, or TD in OT), but I'm going to wait until the team gets closer to a finished product before I heap too much blame on anyone specifically.
This is fair. But I also don't think you can blame this solely on Harden. It has been proven that young teams do not end games well. In the 4th quarter I can literally see guys getting frantic out there. Frankly I chalk up the 4th quarter antics to youth. I remember when I used to watch OKC just starting out Scott Brooks always used to say "we aren't losing games we are learning how to win games". This is literally what this team is going through now. They don't know how to win.
The Bobcats are also very young with rookies MKG and Jeffrey Taylor starting. Kemba Walker is a second year pro that starts. They are above .500. Why is that? They're about as inexperienced as us but they are very well coached. On our side we have arguably the best shooting guard in the league who is playoff tested yet we can only beat Detroit and Charlotte? If you've been watching the games you'd see our coaching has bee horrendous so far.
Basically, the Harden trade is to blame in a significant way. You just don't walk a player in on a new roster with NO training camp and expect amazing results. And when that player is the Go To option, that means you have to chuck out alot of the playbook and start significant parts from scratch. The early part of the regular season is now basically an extended training camp... inefficient, mistake filled, lacking flexibility, and with poor chemistry. So, Harden is to blame in that his adding to the Roster basically upends the apple cart so to speak. It will take some time before it's working again.
Very good point. I don't think I would look so much at the coaches as to the Harden trade which put the team back to the beginning of preseason. Would you run the same plays with Harden as the shooting guard as you did for Martin? Also there is that darn EC - WC talent differential.
I agree completely. I was just unable to extrapolate your first sentence into the argument you just presented.
Guys I am so smart lol. Sampson talks about setting better screens! Muhaha let's see if they apply it in games. Video is below starts at the 3:30 mark! http://www.nba.com/rockets/video/kelvin-sampson-11212012
wow a lot of people blaming Harden???? I said everyone... but then on second thought... I say the coaching staff... and ultimately Morey... because we all knew he blew the team up... going for Howard
From my perspective, they didn't have to. They certainly didn't force it down the Harden path the first two games, and Harden actually worked a lot better just being part of the offensive flow instead of being the artificial fulcrum of it. I mean, once again we recall that game when we had the lead to end the 4th, and we ended with five straight futile Harden ISO/PnR which resulted in 4 Harden miss/TOs and one Lin miss. Naturally we had a few hundred LOH seeing only the Lin miss, and a few thousand more objective fans seeing the actual picture of repeated Harden ISO/PnR fails, but let's face it, 2x 3x Harden ISO/PnR, okay, maybe you can blame Harden. 5x Harden ISO/PnR fail in a row to lose a game, then I'm sorry, it's on the coaches. That was by no means the only game the fans are seeing with the exact same type of fail, that's why Harden gets so much blame here, but again it is a failure of strategy that really has to be on the coaches. Some serious coaching adjustments need to be made, and they are not making them. They better start soon, too.
Let it go. For your own sake as well as everyone else. Harden got a free ride the first two games because defenses were not keying (scheming) for him. And votes? Did you know that OKC fans could vote too? I really am tired of explaining the obvious. It is well laid out in the previous 30 posts. Please read them.
Team defense is why its a slow start......they are scoring 100 points a game....10th in the NBA....its all about defense
What poor start> Who did you realistically expect us to be better than. OKC LA SA Spurs Memphis Dallas Denver Utah Portland Minnesota All have more talent. And one could argue a case for the Warriors and Suns as being on par with us. I think we are about where we should be. And that is only because of a good start. Lets face it this Rocket squad is going nowhere but borderline playoff team at best. We are further from competing for a championship than the days after trading Moses Malone for Caldwell Jones. Okay maybe the year we got Yao Ming was wore than now but both of those years got us Ralph Sampson and Yao and a whole lot of hope. Where's the hope now. I am not advocating tanking but I hate this middle of the road team year after year. Where's the plan. Piecmealing a squad that competes for middle of the road sucks!
