Apprentice
RIP Doughboy Roc
The team is 7-3 and 4th in the West. But everything is pointing to this team flaming out of the playoffs again. Yeah it's only 10 games into the season, but the way the team is playing basketball right now is awful. And it highlights a bigger problem that I think a lot of basketball fans gloss over.
James Harden just isn't good enough to be the primary star on a championship team.
The Rockets are currently ranked 2nd in offense in the league, but 20th in defense. They are ranked 2nd in offense despite Harden, Gordon and Westbrook all shooting below 30% from 3. How is this the case one may ask?
Look at some of the numbers with the Rockets right now
The Rockets lead the league in Free Throw Attempts.
They are ranked 21st in 3%, despite leading the league in 3 point attempts.
They rank top 10 in the league in steals, despite being in bottom third of the league in defense.
They lead the league in pace and rank top 5 in fastbreak points (while also ranking 3rd in OPP fastbreak points)
The team is playing such awful basketball, but they're succeeding in being able to give up defense for offense due to Harden and Westbrook's ability to get to the free throw line.
Harden had issues with Dwight, Harden had issues with CP. Chris Paul in OKC isn't looking like his superstar form, but he's still playing good basketball by showing he still has the ability to run an offense and play effective defense on the perimeter. There's absolutely no way this team is beating the Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets or even the Jazz playing basketball like this.
James Harden just isn't good enough to be the primary star on a championship team.
The Rockets are currently ranked 2nd in offense in the league, but 20th in defense. They are ranked 2nd in offense despite Harden, Gordon and Westbrook all shooting below 30% from 3. How is this the case one may ask?
Look at some of the numbers with the Rockets right now
The Rockets lead the league in Free Throw Attempts.
They are ranked 21st in 3%, despite leading the league in 3 point attempts.
They rank top 10 in the league in steals, despite being in bottom third of the league in defense.
They lead the league in pace and rank top 5 in fastbreak points (while also ranking 3rd in OPP fastbreak points)
The team is playing such awful basketball, but they're succeeding in being able to give up defense for offense due to Harden and Westbrook's ability to get to the free throw line.
Harden had issues with Dwight, Harden had issues with CP. Chris Paul in OKC isn't looking like his superstar form, but he's still playing good basketball by showing he still has the ability to run an offense and play effective defense on the perimeter. There's absolutely no way this team is beating the Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets or even the Jazz playing basketball like this.
