TMACFORMVP wrote:2pat wrote:
The situation was ugly with Lowry here too. I'll be the first to admit I wanted him gone after his first season here. He was nearly traded to the Knicks early last season when Masai was ready to blow it all up, and even Dolan didn't want him. He simply matured as a person, getting married and starting a family probably had a lot to do with it. Not to mention that we appeared to be heading for a tank, and for whatever reason a fire was lit. It's really hard to predict these things and how/why they happen.
Harden seems to have the wrong kind of attitude to lead a team. I just don't see the heart, effort. It also seems like McHale has little control over all the ego's. Casey might not be the most brilliant tactical mind, but he's got every single player buying into the system-- a lot of that is also Lowry and his incredible hustle-- leading by the best example. It's contagious.
@2Pat, not sure I agree. I love Lowry...I think the guy is a definite top 5 PG in the league, and an MVP candidate so far into the season. He's feisty, plays with full of heart, is a good defender, and an efficient floor general/leader offensively. He's a terrific player, but how do you measure "heart" and state Harden is lacking in that intangible? He's been carrying the team all season, and has shown a marked improvement defensively. He admittedly sucked last night, in fact our whole team has been slipping in that regard the past couple weeks, but Harden has battled through various different nicks/injuries, shown a huge improvement on D, stepped up in clutch time situations (look at our 4th quarter stats when the game is within 5 points). The guy is doing 27/6/7 with a block and 2 steals on 60% TS. And he's only 25 years old. You wouldn't do Lowry for Harden, and that's fine, but we certainly wouldn't even entertain Harden for Lowry either, imo.
Our biggest problems offensively is that we believe we are 3/FT/layup team when we don't have the personnel to execute an offense like that. It's passable b/c our best player embodies the whole 3/FT/layup offense. Harden is our ONLY ball-handler...maybe with the except of Papanikalou, nobody else can even handle the ball and create plays for themselves or others. Our three point shooting rate is alarming, we are taking way more 3's than anyone in NBA history (like 45% of all our attempts) when we have garbage three point shooting. Ariza so far has been one of the worst shooters in the league, Josh Smith might be the worst shooter, ever. Brewer isn't a particularly good shooter as we'll soon find out, Kostas isn't good. Beverley is in a slump right now, as is Terry. We don't play Cannan. And we are the worst, or 2nd worst FT shooting team in the entire NBA. This combined with our glaring turnover issue, head scratching decisions to chuck up 3's instead of feeding our second best offensive player in DMo, then we've had a below average offense all season long.
Then with improved competition in our schedule, and a lack of focus (?) our defense has not been at the same level in the past weeks either. This is why we're losing. And I hate to say it, but I don't think it's so much a coincidence that we are under .500 since Dwight has come back. HIS lack of energy and passion either makes me believe that is a big problem for us (moreso than Harden), or that he's actually still injured. Because he looked fantastic defensively before he went down with the injury.
My point is, we got much bigger problems than Harden's supposed lack of fire or leadership.
I don't think Lowry is a better player than Harden, but seeing him hit those clutch shots, finding the most open man, steals, even blocks, grabbing offensive rebounds he has absolutely no business getting-- often at the end of games when we need someone to step up most or when we need to turn the tide quick because the team is struggling, is incredible. Honestly in my 20+ years of watching ball have I ever seen someone bring it night in and night out with such tenacity, literally giving 150%. The way he looks at or talks to his teammates when they screw up-- it's with authority, but not in a condescending kind of way-- always trying to make his teammates better. He's almost always the smallest guy on the court yet he's been either first or second in the league in charges taken for the past 2 seasons and most often in times where we desperately need a stop-- and he's really good at it. Some of the stats simply don't tell the story with a guy like Lowry. He averages 10ppg more on the road and now without DeRozan has literally taken the team on his back.
It comes down to the fit, and Lowry is simply the best fit the Raptors could possibly hope for. The team rallies, plays unselfishly, and it seems that everyone has taken on a bit of his personality. You'll never see anyone argue on the court, and any criticism between players is constructive, even when they're struggling.
Harden's demeanor, maybe lack of enthusiasm, giving up on defense (he is better this year, but slipping lately), interactions with teammates, etc. I don't know, it's a combination of many things. Regardless, he's a fantastic player and early MVP favourite, but does he make his teammates better? Does he really leave it all on the court? Those are some of the things I doubt sometimes when watching your team.
As to the problems I see with the Rockets. Harden cannot be your only ballhandler and you need a solid PG (anyone of the Suns PG's). Beverly, as good a defender as he is, would be much better suited coming off the bench IMO-- He seems too wild and isn't exactly a good ballhandler, but as a stopper/energy guy off the bench he's gold. Howard is by far one of the biggest individual problems-- he isn't the once dominating physical specimen, doesn't show much effort, is progressively getting worse at FT's, is sloppy with the ball leading to many unnecessary TO's, and really does seem like a diva on and off the court. His game hasn't evolved one bit in all the years he's been in the league. But his biggest problem is heart, or lack thereof. I cannot see him on any team and good chemistry together. Josh smith? What in the hell did he come in for when you're already busy shooting yourselves out of games and have DMO playing so well, not to mention his attitude problem and embarrassing FT%. TJ will be back before the playoffs, and presumably fully healthy. It's a nice luxury to be stacked at the 4, but with a known headcase like Josh...who's been promised the starting position?
However, the biggest problem is McHale, or rather McHale and the dynamic between him and a bunch of egomaniacs. I can't for the life of me understand why the offense settles for 3's as often as it does. It takes one game of one or two guys going cold, and you're in for a long night. Ariza has shot the ball horribly, yet nobody seems to mind that he's jacking up 10 3's a game, sometimes hitting only one-- am I missing something here? You've got a really deep bench, why is he playing so many minutes? Why is Harden? These guys will be zombies come playoff time. The Rockets are like the anti-Spurs, and this isn't a good thing. Where is the ball movement on offense? You've got a deep talented team, but their collective Bball IQ has to be one of the lowest in the league-- some of the turnovers have me wondering if I'm watching the 76ers. Granted, you've had many injuries, and that's always tough, but the offense looks sloppy as hell and should be much better all things considered. It's either Harden doing his thing or 3's. That can't be the entire offensive scheme, not in the west, and not if you hope to make it past the first round. McHale doesn't seem to make in game adjustments, run set plays, and when he does try it often disintegrates into ISO ball courtesy of Harden, or another bricked 3. I don't see chemistry, I don't see guys leaving it all on the floor, and I see a bunch of guys with attitude problems. Kudos to McHale for benching the entire starting 5 at once. He was embarrassed by his team, and it's not too often you see that.
