James Harden reacts to criticism of Houston’s style of play (Brace Yourselves)

[GusT15]

https://clutchpoints.com/rockets-news-james-harden-reacts-to-criticism-of-houstons-style-of-play/

So,James Harden decided to defend his team's style of play in the latest GQ interview,regarding the ISO-centric offense of the Houston Rockets.
This is what he had to say:



Now,i'm not going to focus in and point out the obvious-as in-don't compare your team,yourself or your style of play to MJ,Shaq and Timmy...
Like,don't do that.Just don't James Harden...

But,Harden,to me,really seems out of touch with that answer.As does the reporter asking the question.(Out of touch basketball wise technically and out of touch with the fanbase criticism).
People aren't just criticizing the Rockets-ball as an Isolation-centric offense regarding "team productivity and team success".
They have a problem with the no-movement,4 people standing still at the 3 point line,Harden dribbling for 20 secs on the top of the key-offense,THAT LEADS to a Harden-bait-a-ref-lock-defender's-arm-3-FREE THROWS-to-HARDEN-OFFENSE.

It's a combination of ALL those things that people are being critical of.
Not one of them,all of them.

So,maybe,just maybe,if the Rockets add more ball movement or off ball player movement,if they don't dribble for so long or IF Harden stops going for the Free throw line and just goes for the basket,maybe fans will be less bored,irritated or critical of the Rockets style of play.
And,maybe,just maybe,the team will be more productive,and/or successful...

Either way,Jordan,Shaq and Duncan NEVER led an offense like THAT!

/rant over

[JN61]

Thankfully they have Westbrook to make offense to move and pass the ball around the circle.

[Pachinko_]

I mean I don't really care, I watch some and when it gets boring I watch something else.
I liked the small ball thing personally, it's like a science experiment. It was hilarious from the AD-Harden jump ball to start the game LOL

[Bergmaniac]

I mostly agree with Harden on this one. Yes, his method takes longer than for post players who forced double teams and created good shots for their teams this way because the rules allow it, but what he's doing isn't fundamentally different.

And not everyone criticizes him for dribbling in place for 20 seconds too often. A lot of the criticism is simply "Too much ISO".

[Side beard]

I am not going to oppose a player whos averaging almost 40 point triple doubles. He knows the game better than anyone here.

[Archx]

"The object is to create opportunities for your teammates."

---Ends the game with 3/20 from the 3pt line---

[Scott Hall]

Funny thing is Houston probably would've beat Golden State a few years ago if CP3 didn't get injured and if
they beat the Warriors then they probably would've have beat the Cavs and they would be champs
and nobody would question their style of play at all.

It's funny how a missed shot here or an injury there and the narrative completely changes

[Brofessor24]

Go Harden!

[Sofia]

No lie detected

[limbo]

I find it amusing people are so hell bent on criticising something that has been consistently proven to operate on a high level for years now...

It's like criticising a McLaren for not going fast enough... it doesn't make sense. If Houston's playstyle offensively has been a problem, when they hace constantly ranked at the top of the NBA... then what are the other teams doing?

This again all comes down to winning bias. Even MJ's style was criticized until he eventually won a championship... Then you didn't hear a peep anymore, despite MJ himself still having trouble scoring against teams like the Knicks and Sonics.

[Ryoga Hibiki]

Two things:
- those iso offences were not necessarily very successful, they went through a lot if PO adversity and success actually came when they moved to a less predictable offense
- the issue with Harden's style is how resilient it's going to be in the post season, as it's really extremely dependent on 3pt%

[LloydFree]

Brace yourself? For what? He didn't say anything wrong or outrageous. Cut it out.

[Strepbacter]

Jordan and Shaq were GOAT level off-ball players who made incredibly quick decisions, and had games translated that translated beautifully to post-season ball. Their off-ball play meant that they could maximize their production/impact without impeding on their fellow stars. They played on the best passing teams in the league. This stuff makes them the antithesis of Harden, who has completely marginalized guys like CP3 and Gordon, and who routinely drains the shot-clock and kills the flow with his ball-dominance and inability to act with decisiveness.

As for Duncan, the Spurs became a far better offense when they moved away from the stagnant Duncan ISO stuff and started running their offense through Parker/Manu, and peaked under the ultimate egalitarian offense (14 Spurs)

Harden is clueless. The Rockets would be a far more dangerous team if they ran some sort of system and if he was a willing to give up the ball and move closer to a hybrid on-ball/off-ball role.

[The_Hater]

He’s not entirely wrong, MJ and Kobe lived off the iso but Harden seems to take criticism that they didn’t get. And he’s a lot more efficient at it then Kobe was and racks up a higher assist rate than both. To me, this is a case of not looking as fluid, athletic or pleasing to the eye in his particular style of play as those other 2.

And then you look at the Houston offense spending 4 straight seasons ranked either 1st or 2nd in the league so you can’t turn around and use the ‘but we’re in a different era’ argument against him because It’s obviously working for the team. Arguing otherwise defies logic.

[KingDavid]

They played defense too, James.

[The_Hater]

They played defense too, James.

He was onLy talking about offensive style.

And just look at this thread, he’s the best offensive player in the league and one poster still called him clueless without any logic behind it. His offensive Bball IQ is off the charts and maybe the best we’ve ever seen.

[Dupp]

You're out of touch. Everything he said is right. And why cant he compare himself to those guys? Hes a way way better offensive player than duncan. Youre being silly.

[Han Solo]

Offensively, the last thing i would do is question James Harden’s intelligence on this. He’s one of the best offensive players in league history. And I’ve watched since mid 80s. He knows what he’s talking about.

[alexb618]

he is right about iso ball, but doesnt have the self awareness to know that it isnt iso ball that makes him unwatchable

[GusT15]

You're out of touch. Everything he said is right. And why cant he compare himself to those guys? Hes a way way better offensive player than duncan. Youre being silly.

Okay Dupp,Harden's and Houston's style of ISO-ball is comparable/similar to 2003 Duncan/Spurs and he's absolutely right that we shouldn't criticize him for it.

And i'm just being silly.
Okay then,since you enjoy watching that style of play,since you think it's winning basketball,and since you think there's nothing wrong with it or with what Harden said,i'll just say that we agree to disagree.