*****OFFICIAL 2018-2019 Houston Rockets*****

708,834 Views | 9025 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by rvk246
HossAg
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Gigem Trevas said:

Stats are not indicative of wins. Harden puts up meaningless numbers in the playoffs time and time again.


Sorry Trevas, didn't realize those 35 ppg he scored against golden state just weren't being added to the score total. Staff needs to get this guy a ban too.
k20dub
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Some of you believe the media's narratives too much.
rvk246
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k20dub said:

Some of you believe the media's narratives too much.

People don't realize that Harden played really well in this series. 35 ppg on better true shooting % than both Curry and Durant is pretty great.
WES2006AG
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I don't see your point. Most players don't keep their regular season numbers going through the playoffs. You are playing the best teams in the league several times in a row. These teams know each other and defend better because of that familiarity.
Texaggie7nine
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As a Rockets fan, I have no issue with the numbers Harden puts up in Playoffs. My issue is his clutch performance when it counts. In big games when it's dire circumstances, Harden rarely shows up.

People like Lebron, Stef, ect when it comes down to a big moment in the final seconds, they want the ball and they make it. Hell, Curry was pretty much a no show for much of the series, but when it came time to close out, he hit everything he needed to. Harden generally seems to drive the lane, not get fouled and lose the ball in a turnover, or just passes off the ball to other players.
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heavens11
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I don't think Harden as a player is the issue at all. The iso ball system the rockets rely on far too much probably contributes to the terrible performances by some of the role players.

Harden is one of the best iso players to ever play the game. He can manufacture his own shot from 3 and get to the rack consistently. I think we often conflate the often ugly style of play of the rockets offense with Harden as a player. The first round series stymied him a bit, but I think he played quite well against Golden State.

If you want to start looking at individual performances that were lacking, start with Capela, he was awful.
I would say Harden and Tucker performed. CP3 and Eric Gordon were a mixed bag, and the bench which should have been a strength largely wasn't.

Pringles was unwilling to modify his approach on defense which makes life pretty easy on opponents. Work a screen to get a switch with a big attempting to guard Curry or Thompson or KD way away from the basket; blow by the big and either get to the rack or if the defense collapses to help, make one pass to the perimeter for a wide open shot. Despite pretty good defensive effort, it was often relatively easy for the Warriors to get really good looks.

Contrast that with the rockets offense high screen and role / iso ball. Imo, both the system the rockets run on offense and the switching approach on defense make it much more difficult for the rockets to win against a team like Golden State.

Harden as a player is one of the best in the league. I think he would do really well in a system where the ball moves and he and CP3 aren't taking turns dribbling the ball for 15 seconds while the rest of the offense either runs out to set a screen or just stands around "spacing the floor"
CFTXAG10
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Texaggie7nine said:

As a Rockets fan, I have no issue with the numbers Harden puts up in Playoffs. My issue is his clutch performance when it counts. In big games when it's dire circumstances, Harden rarely shows up.

People like Lebron, Stef, ect when it comes down to a big moment in the final seconds, they want the ball and they make it. Hell, Curry was pretty much a no show for much of the series, but when it came time to close out, he hit everything he needed to. Harden generally seems to drive the lane, not get fouled and lose the ball in a turnover, or just passes off the ball to other players.
I think this is a fair criticism of Harden's game, that and his timing on missed free throws. Harden has gotten better in this aspect though. Came up clutch several times in the regular season and even a few times this year in the playoffs.

I think the tough task for Morey is going to be surrounding the right people around Harden to be successful in the playoffs. This year the supporting cast was a big letdown. Capela, Green, and CP3 were all underwhelming. Going to be tough to make big changes at this point with the contracts we have on the books.

Since you brought up LeBron and Steph, the Cavs were LeBron's team and the Warriors belong to Steph. They surrounded Curry with guys who step up when he falters. Kind of a nice luxury to do nothing for almost three quarters but look like a hero when you come up big in the 4th. The Rockets wouldve been blown out by the Warriors if Harden did that. LeBron had Kyrie, Love, the good version of JR Smith, and was barely able to pull off the upset coming back from down 3-1.

The best thing that could happen for the Rockets at this point would be to continue to tinker with the lineup as best as you can to improve the team, and hope that the Durant to NY rumors are true. Harden isn't going anywhere nor should he.
lil99chris
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....good points.
Texaggie7nine
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Well Lebron was the team for some of those seasons. And he still showed up in clutch.

I would think if you told James, "hey, it's do or die in the playoffs, 2 minutes left and the Rockets are only down by 2.", he should respond, "awesome, I got this **** from here". Yet that's not what we see from him in Playoffs. In regular season sure, he's the top clutch performer. But it falls off in the playoffs, and ESPECIALLY in critical do or die games.


https://stats.nba.com/players/clutch-traditional/?sort=GP&dir=-1&Season=2018-19&SeasonType=Playoffs&ClutchTime=Last%202%20Minutes

He did better this year than any of his last, but just look at his clutch time performance over the years in Playoffs.
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k20dub
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Texaggie7nine said:

As a Rockets fan, I have no issue with the numbers Harden puts up in Playoffs. My issue is his clutch performance when it counts. In big games when it's dire circumstances, Harden rarely shows up.

People like Lebron, Stef, ect when it comes down to a big moment in the final seconds, they want the ball and they make it. Hell, Curry was pretty much a no show for much of the series, but when it came time to close out, he hit everything he needed to. Harden generally seems to drive the lane, not get fouled and lose the ball in a turnover, or just passes off the ball to other players.
LeBron used to have this same exact reputation until he finally broke through and won a championship. Now look at the way people talk about him. Obviously, Harden still has to prove he can do it, but that doesn't mean we should write him off and assume he never will.
CFTXAG10
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Yea, and like I said thats fair criticism of Harden's game and something he has improved on and needs to continue to improve on. I touched on LeBron because they were the only ones to take down the Warriors which took a herculean effort, and they arguably won it because of Kyrie in the clutch. I think LeBron missed two or three shots down the stretch and a free throw. The Kyrie three and Cavs team defense won that game in the clutch.
rvk246
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k20dub said:

Texaggie7nine said:

As a Rockets fan, I have no issue with the numbers Harden puts up in Playoffs. My issue is his clutch performance when it counts. In big games when it's dire circumstances, Harden rarely shows up.

People like Lebron, Stef, ect when it comes down to a big moment in the final seconds, they want the ball and they make it. Hell, Curry was pretty much a no show for much of the series, but when it came time to close out, he hit everything he needed to. Harden generally seems to drive the lane, not get fouled and lose the ball in a turnover, or just passes off the ball to other players.
LeBron used to have this same exact reputation until he finally broke through and won a championship. Now look at the way people talk about him. Obviously, Harden still has to prove he can do it, but that doesn't mean we should write him off and assume he never will.
Same thing with Dirk. Hell Dirk was shat on even worse than Harden after the 'We Believe' debacle.
mazag08
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At this point, I'd rather keep the team and update the coach to someone who actually runs an offense and game plans on defense than to trade mediocre players for other mediocre players.
Texaggie7nine
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I didn't say we should write Harden off. I'm just very concerned that Houston's best chance at winning another championship in 20 years is also the reason it won't.

I would never say we need to trade him. He is our best and only chance we will see for the foreseeable future. We go as he does. I just hope he figures out whatever keeps him from showing up in the do or die games right at the end.
7nine
AG@RICE
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CFTXAG10 said:

I don't even want to post the clip, but Chris Broussard never ceases to amaze me with is idiocy. He said he wants the Rockets to call the Sixers and offer CP3 for Ben Simmons. The sad thing is he gets paid to to come up with this nonsense.
Just to be clear, you think this is stupid from the 76ers perspective, correct?

agdaddy04
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That trade isn't even possible.
AG@RICE
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agdaddy04 said:

That trade isn't even possible.
Ya, my assumption was that we could eat some horrible contract on Phillys roster, but I actually took the time to look and there isn't a single one that would actually make the trade work. Nevermind.
Texan_Aggie
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What the hell would that even accomplish? Trade our leading and historic scorer for a guy who can't shoot?
CFTXAG10
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AG@RICE said:

CFTXAG10 said:

I don't even want to post the clip, but Chris Broussard never ceases to amaze me with is idiocy. He said he wants the Rockets to call the Sixers and offer CP3 for Ben Simmons. The sad thing is he gets paid to to come up with this nonsense.
Just to be clear, you think this is stupid from the 76ers perspective, correct?




Elton Brand would hang up on Morey fairly quickly
AG@RICE
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Texan_Aggie said:

What the hell would that even accomplish? Trade our leading and historic scorer for a guy who can't shoot?
Not Harden, CP3.

Ben Simmons future is as a center. Don't need him to shoot.

CFTXAG10 is right though, 76ers would never take that trade (nor is it possible).

TXAG14
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Wtf is happening with this lottery?!
Dan Scott
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Lakers and Knicks make top 4
Hi, Im Brett
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I wish they would show the actual balls drop, or however they do it.
CFTXAG10
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Gilbert's son was not happy
CFTXAG10
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New York
Enzo The Baker
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CFTXAG10 said:

Gilbert's son was not happy

That facial hair was ridiculous.
Jackal99
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Enzo The Baker said:

CFTXAG10 said:

Gilbert's son was not happy

That facial hair was ridiculous.


That's how they do it in Cleveland.
k20dub
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Division just got a hell of a lot harder
agdaddy04
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Hi, Im Brett said:

I wish they would show the actual balls drop, or however they do it.

They used to, right?

Can someone explain how they knew which teams were in top 4 before they picked the first 6?
Olsen
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I'm glad the Knicks are not getting Zion after all.
3rdGen2015
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agdaddy04 said:

Hi, Im Brett said:

I wish they would show the actual balls drop, or however they do it.

They used to, right?

Can someone explain how they knew which teams were in top 4 before they picked the first 6?

Pretty sure they only actually draw for the first three or four picks. Everything after that is slotted based on the pre-lottery slots. So if a team isn't in their slot, that means they moved up into one of the drawn spots.
dshedd41
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Olsen
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agdaddy04 said:

Hi, Im Brett said:

I wish they would show the actual balls drop, or however they do it.

They used to, right?

Can someone explain how they knew which teams were in top 4 before they picked the first 6?


They don't. Their lottery odds increase heavily if they don't get picked earlier. Lakers, Grizzlies, or Pelicans could've had pick number 5 or 6.
Enzo The Baker
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This should put the Lakers in the drivers seat for Davis now that they have the 4th pick, assuming Davis still demands a trade right?
CFTXAG10
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Last year, the NBA changed the lottery odds to curb tanking. Previously, the team with the worst record had a 25% chance of getting the No. 1 pick, the second-worst team had a 19.9% chance, and the third-worst had a 15.6% chance, with falling odds through the final 11 lottery teams. The team with the worst record could not pick lower than fourth. Now, with the revised odds, the three worst teams all share a 14% chance of getting the No. 1 pick. The fourth- and fifth-worst teams have a 12.5% and a 10.5% chance. The odds decline through the remaining lottery teams.

(Via NBA Media)

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