View Full Version : Rockets: Harden called out for lack of defense by SI.
Indazone
11-11-2013, 06:29 PM
http://nba.si.com/2013/11/11/james-h...uston-rockets/ (http://nba.si.com/2013/11/11/james-harden-defensive-faults-houston-rockets/)
It is troubling that the core issue here seems to be a lack of effort. He seems to float around lazily to conserve energy for the offensive end (though keeping in mind that he is currently injured to some degree) and does not seem to mind at all when he blows defensive assignments. What is possibly even more worrisome is that McHale and the coaching staff are unable to get through to James to get him to buy in defensively. I am nearly positive this is not due to a lack of effort on their part.
Ultimately, this will be part of Harden's maturation and realization that this team needs to improve on defense before it can be considered even a remote contender. As mentioned in other threads, there is no doubt he has the physical tools to be an average to above-average defender. What we need from him now is a sense of urgency, ownership, and the desire to improve a sorely lacking portion of his game to take this team to the next level.
Indazone
11-11-2013, 06:31 PM
Tell us something we don't know :rolleyes
D-Wade
11-11-2013, 06:32 PM
I think Harden has the skills and instincts to be at least a decent defender but he doesn't even try. Now that he's under the spotlight, people are finally noticing. I'll never consider him the best SG in the league until he's not a complete liability on one side of the ball.
Rogue
11-11-2013, 08:32 PM
Tell us something we don't know :rolleyes
you know it better than nothing that Rin is the real scrub that has been holding the team back, but no one dares to tell it even though everyone knows it tacitly. Kinda remind me of the old rockets where T-Mac was always made the scapegoat while the 7'6 shit could always get away free of criticism no matter how shitty he played.
spurraider21
11-11-2013, 08:49 PM
i don't understand this bullshit we hear about players "conserving energy for offense" on stacked teams. he can just defer to Dwight for a few possessions if he really needed to conserve energy
KaiRMD1
11-11-2013, 08:56 PM
Harden is good offensively when he is on, everyone knows he's a shit defender though
Defense is overrated imo. The NBA elite players list is rife with "stars" that are poor defenders, or just don't defend at all. You can only think of a few people who are good on both ends of the court. That means the bulk of the NBA's "elite" are only interested in offensive stats, and the fans are ok with it. Ergo defense is overrated on here.
Hell, there are full blown systems from full blown teams that openly advertise no defense. Sure they might get in 30 minutes in practice as soon as you get a girlfriend, but they believe, as do their fans, that offense wins championships. After all, it wasn't the stop that won the ring last season, but the shot. Right?
Defense is overrated imo. The NBA elite players list is rife with "stars" that are poor defenders, or just don't defend at all. You can only think of a few people who are good on both ends of the court. That means the bulk of the NBA's "elite" are only interested in offensive stats, and the fans are ok with it. Ergo defense is overrated on here.
Hell, there are full blown systems from full blown teams that openly advertise no defense. Sure they might get in 30 minutes in practice as soon as you get a girlfriend, but they believe, as do their fans, that offense wins championships. After all, it wasn't the stop that won the ring last season, but the shot. Right?
Which is why many of those "stars" have zero rings, tbh... Two way players are the way to go
Which is why many of those "stars" have zero rings, tbh... Two way players are the way to go
Pfff... rings. Carmelo has enough rings at the end of his salary that look like this 20,000,000. That's 7 fucking rings a year.
Pfff... rings. Carmelo has enough rings at the end of his salary that look like this 20,000,000. That's 7 fucking rings a year.
True, true... offense gets you money.
True, true... offense gets you money.
For a reason. What's the goal of the NBA? To win rings? No. To make money. If fans are content paying absorbent prices to see a dude make 8 figures to lose games, but hey watch him dunk... that's what the NBA is about.
Venti Quattro
11-11-2013, 09:39 PM
LINK: James Harden fined for flopping (http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/houston-rockets-james-harden-fined-5-000-flopping-204210395--nba.html)
Cry Havoc
11-11-2013, 09:49 PM
you know it better than nothing that Rin is the real scrub that has been holding the team back, but no one dares to tell it even though everyone knows it tacitly. Kinda remind me of the old rockets where T-Mac was always made the scapegoat while the 7'6 shit could always get away free of criticism no matter how shitty he played.
Lin has been balling this season. He has a PER of 19.
resistanze
11-11-2013, 10:00 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EOYSzVLQyc
spurraider21
11-11-2013, 10:03 PM
offense alone gets you paid. w/e. if that's what you root for as a fan, then thats your thing. if you want to win championships, you either gotta be a 2-way star or need to coattail somebody greater than you. MJ was a defensive menace. Shaq dominated the paint, though he could get lazy at times, he would bring it during big games. Duncan is a 2 way beast. LeBron has turned into an elite defensive player.
Rogue
11-11-2013, 10:11 PM
DMC with the professional take again. The way how little the NBA cares about defense and tactics have become annoying tbh. There's a reason why NBA and WWE are associated.
ace3g
11-11-2013, 10:13 PM
http://d3j5vwomefv46c.cloudfront.net/photos/large/821230632.gif?1384225044
Trainwreck2100
11-11-2013, 10:21 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EOYSzVLQyc
that shit cost him 5k
HarlemHeat37
11-11-2013, 10:24 PM
Harden obviously needs to give more effort and at least play average defense, tbh..
However, the only reason this is receiving so much attention is because the rest of Houston's perimeter players don't play defense, either..they don't have a stopper that can mask Harden's deficiencies and allow him to coast, which has been done many times on contending teams with perimeter stars that had minimal defensive responsibility, tbh..
If the Rockets had 2007-2011 Dwight Howard, it wouldn't be an issue, either, obviously..
Trainwreck2100
11-11-2013, 10:25 PM
The only reason this is receiving so much attention is because the rest of Houston's perimeter players don't play defense, either..they don't have a stopper that can mask Harden's deficiencies and allow him to coast, which has been done many times on contending teams with perimeter stars that had minimal defensive responsibility, tbh..
If the Rockets had 2007-2011 Dwight Howard, it wouldn't be an issue, either, obviously..
son the only reason it's an issue this year is because Howard. The press don't want to blame him for shit
HarlemHeat37
11-11-2013, 10:30 PM
Howard gets roasted every day, tbh, not sure what you're talking about, my nigga:lol..
The Lakers and Rockets built their defenses around peak Howard, not current Howard..Howard of the past 2 years is a top 5-7 overall defender that can still anchor a defense with a good defensive cast/foundation, while peak Howard was arguably one of the 5 best all-around defenders in NBA history and could cover the flaws of every defensive player around him..
Killakobe81
11-11-2013, 11:36 PM
For a reason. What's the goal of the NBA? To win rings? No. To make money. If fans are content paying absorbent prices to see a dude make 8 figures to lose games, but hey watch him dunk... that's what the NBA is about.
DMC on fire ...but did someone spit in your cornflakes?!
Killakobe81
11-11-2013, 11:37 PM
Howard gets roasted every day, tbh, not sure what you're talking about, my nigga:lol..
The Lakers and Rockets built their defenses around peak Howard, not current Howard..Howard of the past 2 years is a top 5-7 overall defender that can still anchor a defense with a good defensive cast/foundation, while peak Howard was arguably one of the 5 best all-around defenders in NBA history and could cover the flaws of every defensive player around him..
Killakobe81
11-11-2013, 11:41 PM
Howard gets roasted every day, tbh, not sure what you're talking about, my nigga:lol..
The Lakers and Rockets built their defenses around peak Howard, not current Howard..Howard of the past 2 years is a top 5-7 overall defender that can still anchor a defense with a good defensive cast/foundation, while peak Howard was arguably one of the 5 best all-around defenders in NBA history and could cover the flaws of every defensive player around him..
Great points. Now that Lakers are shitty and Lebron no longer needs to be defended, glad you back to bringing solid takes. Good shit Harlem. Only dmc and rogue bringing goods consistently ...there are a few more but y'all at top. But dmc seems like he is mad at the basketball world ...
Indazone
11-12-2013, 12:28 AM
Lin doesn't give a shit what people think. He'll let his play on the court do the talking. If he sucks, so be it. So far his PER of 19 is pretty good. But as shooting guards go, I'll take a two way player over a one dimensional chucker any day.
spurraider21
11-12-2013, 01:10 AM
the rest of Houston's perimeter players don't play defense, either
if he wants to be considered a leader, he is going to have to at least set the tone. if he shows more consistent effort, the troops will follow
AussieFanKurt
11-12-2013, 04:24 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EOYSzVLQyc
I vomitted
Rogue
11-12-2013, 08:28 AM
Rin getting a PER of 19 is a fair reflection of how screwed up that meter is. Dude's smart enough to pad his stats the right way and make every thing work in his favor. There's a reason why he's a harvard graduate imho.
that shit cost him 5k
What's interesting is they call it every fucking time. If they want it to stop, stop calling it.
Fireball
11-12-2013, 09:59 AM
http://d3j5vwomefv46c.cloudfront.net/photos/large/821230632.gif?1384225044 If Howard was a Trailblazer, he would have broken all his fingers ... great block.
Indazone
11-12-2013, 10:02 AM
Yeah, Lin is a scrub. http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/player/_/stat/field-goals/sort/fieldGoalPct/position/point-guards
Why didn't SI ever call out Kobes shitty defense ?
Clipper Nation
11-12-2013, 11:18 AM
son the only reason it's an issue this year is because Howard. The press don't want to blame him for shit
Huh? The media loathes Dwight for leaving LA :lol
It's an issue because Harden's "defense" has been even lazier and more non-existent than ever and because in one game, he was benched for the entire fourth quarter because of it.... it's also an issue because the media loves to take things like this and blow them out of proportion to create drama and storylines....
Killakobe81
11-12-2013, 11:34 AM
Why didn't SI ever call out Kobes shitty defense ?
Zach Lowe used to when he wrote for them ...
Indazone
11-12-2013, 02:17 PM
Kobe Bryant, is a nine-time All-Defensive first teamer and three time second teamer.
What awards has Harden gotten on the defensive end?
^And a large portion of those were undeserved.
Like HH said Harden doesn't have a Rick Fox, Trevor Ariza or MWP. If he did maybe Harden would get undeserved All-Defense nods as well.
Rogue
11-13-2013, 04:57 AM
Rin: 3.5 TOs per game, 1.14 Assist/To ratio :lmao
Indazone
11-13-2013, 12:30 PM
Harden 4.5 TO's per game, 1.13 Assist/TO ratio :lol
Durant 4.2 TO's per game, 1.02 Assists/TO ratio :lol
Now GTFO :lol
Killakobe81
11-13-2013, 03:07 PM
Harden 4.5 TO's per game, 1.13 Assist/TO ratio :lol
Durant 4.2 TO's per game, 1.02 Assists/TO ratio :lol
Now GTFO :lol
you realize those are high usage scorers not PGs you are comparing Lin to ... right?
Indazone
11-13-2013, 03:14 PM
Regardless, Lin is a ball dominating score first guard like D-Wade who averages 3.9 TO's per game and has a 1.3 Ast/TO ratio. Call Wade a scrub then.
Killakobe81
11-13-2013, 03:30 PM
Regardless, Lin is a ball dominating score first guard like D-Wade who averages 3.9 TO's per game and has a 1.3 Ast/TO ratio. Call Wade a scrub then.
I dont think Lin is a scrub. Heck he may be better than the starting PG's on LAL, Utah and Sacramento. Problem is because Rox arent looking like legit contenders people want to point fingers ...at SOMEONE. As much as I want to see Dwight fail, to me McHale and the other role players are the issue. Parsons, Lin, Beverly Harden and Dwight are all solid. Asik doesnt want to stay but even trading him wont solve the coaching issue.
Indazone
11-13-2013, 03:37 PM
McHale has not meshed this team together. I think with the personnel they have, they would be better served slowing the game down and running pick and roll all day long. Forget Horns.
Problem is, Les Alexander told Morey and McHale he wants this team to run. He wants them to play like the old Phoenix Suns. This is not playing to Dwight Howard or Asik's strengths and their ability to post up. If they slowed it down and ran a half court offense with set plays and more pick and rolls, they might actually have something.
hater
11-13-2013, 03:42 PM
McHale has not meshed this team together. I think with the personnel they have, they would be better served slowing the game down and running pick and roll all day long. Forget Horns.
Problem is, Les Alexander told Morey and McHale he wants this team to run. He wants them to play like the old Phoenix Suns. This is not playing to Dwight Howard or Asik's strengths and their ability to post up. If they slowed it down and ran a half court offense with set plays and more pick and rolls, they might actually have something.
Dwight has the ability to post up? since when?
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