The James Harden Thread (2019-20)

GSP · Post #241 » by **GSP** » Sat Jan 11, 2020 11:17 pm

11 turnovers at halftime

thekdog34 · Post #242 » by **thekdog34** » Sat Jan 11, 2020 11:48 pm

GSP wrote:11 turnovers at halftime

And yet is still +15 for the game

thekdog34 · Post #243 » by **thekdog34** » Sat Jan 11, 2020 11:49 pm

Double

GSP · Post #244 » by **GSP** » Sun Jan 12, 2020 12:34 am

This Hartenstein kid came out of nowhere. He seems much better defending isos, switches and penetration than Capela? Why has Chandler gotten minutes over him LOL

K_chile22 · Post #245 » by **K_chile22** » Sun Jan 12, 2020 6:42 pm

GSP wrote:This Hartenstein kid came out of nowhere. He seems much better defending isos, switches and penetration than Capela? Why has Chandler gotten minutes over him LOL

Because Mike DAntoni hates young guys and actively searches for reasons to stop playing them. Hartenstein was the best G league big last year, including other guys who were on NBA rosters but assigned to the G league at just 20 years old, which is even young for there. He was the youngest player in the g league the year before (he played for the vipers for a year before signing with the Rockets) and once he found his groove after the first couple months, was dominant. I think he's fully capable of being a solid backup C right now, but every little young guy mistake gets him glued to the bench. I think he's the long term third big for the Rockets.

Another good find for them was Ben McLemore. He's been great and they have a team option on him for next year

K_chile22 · Post #246 » by **K_chile22** » Sun Jan 12, 2020 9:03 pm

If Rockets ownership wasn't cheap they could've had a young role-player core of Melton-House-Mclemore-Hartenstien

K_chile22 · Post #247 » by **K_chile22** » Wed Jan 15, 2020 3:21 am

MDA is washed up. They should keep him the rest of the year, because there are no better options, but going into next year, outside of a title, they need to go a different direction. Dudes rotation decisions are so dumb, and since Harden just does whatever he wants, MDA's offense brings nothing. Might as well get a defensive guy who will play more than 7 players.

thekdog34 · Post #248 » by **thekdog34** » Wed Jan 15, 2020 5:24 am

@Itamar1710: Since December 9th, the Rockets have been at their best when... Harden is sitting on the bench.

Over the last month they have an insane 116.4 ORTG and a 102.2 DRTG in those minutes, where Westbrook is averaging a ridiculous 35.4 PTS and 9.6 AST per 75 possessions on 55.4 TS% https://t.co/L60uv0tYQK

GSP · Post #249 » by **GSP** » Tue Jan 21, 2020 5:55 am

Hes been absolutely dreadful the past 7 games. His Rs numbers really cooling down

Going 1-17 from 3 is one of the main reasons his offensive game gets criticized for as much as it does

thekdog34 · Post #250 » by **thekdog34** » Tue Jan 21, 2020 3:43 pm

Shades of 2015-16 with the team looking sluggish. Harden looks even less engaged on defense and is having some really bad turnovers.

Bergmaniac · Post #251 » by **Bergmaniac** » Tue Jan 21, 2020 5:26 pm

He looks miserable on the court lately, I don't know if it's tiredness or some off-court issues, or both, but he's just not been himself at all.

K_chile22 · Post #252 » by **K_chile22** » Sat Jan 25, 2020 3:28 am

Second worst TS month of his career. He looks awful. Too bad the team is too scared of him to get him to sit a game or two

thekdog34 · Post #253 » by **thekdog34** » Sat Jan 25, 2020 3:21 pm

K_chile22 wrote:Second worst TS month of his career. He looks awful. Too bad the team is too scared of him to get him to sit a game or two

For load management?

Bergmaniac · Post #254 » by **Bergmaniac** » Sat Jan 25, 2020 5:13 pm

When I saw the box score before watching his last game, I thought he had been doubled all game, but it wasn't like that at all, he struggled mightily against single coverage, his first step looked way worse than usual, and just looked completely lethargic all game. He looks like he badly needs a rest, maybe he's carrying a small injury too, and with Westbrook getting in form and Gordon back the Rockets should sit him for a few games. They will probably lose most of these still, because the bench is a joke, but he is not helping his team playing the way he's played lately and long term the Rockets will benefit.

MDA playing him the whole 4th quarter last night despite him taking a pretty serious hit in the previous quarter and being complete garbage all game was just ridiculous.

TroubleS0me · Post #255 » by **TroubleS0me** » Sun Jan 26, 2020 5:46 am

struggling & Points per game is dropping

CKRT · Post #256 » by **CKRT** » Thu Jan 30, 2020 5:28 pm

I wish James would just take some extended time off, he's clearly got nagging injuries impacting his play.

reignfire · Post #257 » by **reignfire** » Thu Jan 30, 2020 5:31 pm

I think he's out of gas.

He always goes all out in the regular season. He's the anti-Kawhi.

thekdog34 · Post #258 » by **thekdog34** » Fri Jan 31, 2020 1:24 am

reignfire wrote:I think he's out of gas.

He always goes all out in the regular season. He's the anti-Kawhi.

He hasn't played defense in years and slows the pace to a crawl.

I think it's off the court stuff.

K_chile22 · Post #259 » by **K_chile22** » Sun Feb 2, 2020 5:26 pm

thekdog34 wrote:
reignfire wrote:I think he's out of gas.

He always goes all out in the regular season. He's the anti-Kawhi.

He hasn't played defense in years and slows the pace to a crawl.

I think it's off the court stuff.

I think he's struggling to adjust to playing off Russ who's been a lot more ball dominant as he's gotten better, and he's just plain in a rutt. It happens

thekdog34 · Post #260 » by **thekdog34** » Mon Feb 3, 2020 2:56 am

K_chile22 wrote:
thekdog34 wrote:
reignfire wrote:I think he's out of gas.

He always goes all out in the regular season. He's the anti-Kawhi.

He hasn't played defense in years and slows the pace to a crawl.

I think it's off the court stuff.
I think he's struggling to adjust to playing off Russ who's been a lot more ball dominant as he's gotten better, and he's just plain in a rutt. It happens

Maybe so. Certainly seems like he's broken out of his slump