What do you think they're doing when they acquire CP3 and then Westbrook? If Harden was really the elite ballhandler/scorer y'all think he is then why do they keep spending half their cap on other elite ballhandlers who create their own shot?
The claim that the Rockets only play with Harden 1 on 5 is a lie. Harden ain't put in that position in the playoffs, he just goes there when he's stat padding. Gotta break your shyt again:
2018: Houston's most loaded squad, with CP3, Harden, and Eric Gordon giving them three elite shot creators plus Ariza/Green/Tucker all hitting tons of threes and Capela scoring inside.
Up 2-1 in the WCSF, Harden tries to pull his annual choke job and goes 8-22 with 3 assists and 8 turnovers, but CP3 still pulls the team to victory with 27-12-6 and just 1 turnover on 12-23 shooting.
Now up 3-1, Harden still shook and goes 7-22 with just 4 assists and 3 turnovers, but CP3 to the rescue again with 41 points on 13-22 shooting (8-10 from three) and 10 assists to 0 turnovers.
If "better teams" are the problem, then why does Harden still look shook against Utah? If "1 on 5" is the problem, then why does Harden still suck when CP3 is pulling all the weight?
Then came Golden State. They were a great team, but was it Harden who kept the Rockets in it or was it his teammates?
Game 2: Harden was just 9-24 and the Rockets still won behind crazy 29-47 shooting (13-23 from three) from Tucker, Ariza, CP3, and Gordon.
Game 4: Harden was just 11-26 and 3-12 from three but the Rockets still won behind CP3's 27 points (10-20 and 5-9) and fantastic defense from everyone not named Harden.
Game 5: 2-2 series, pressure sets in, Harden puts up a disgusting 5-21 shooting (0-11 from three) with just 4 assists and 6 turnovers...and the Rockets STILL win behind 44 points from Gordon and CP3 and the second straight dominant team defense.
Y'all try to give Harden credit for the Rockets hanging with the Warriors....that's some bullshyt. Harden tried to give that series away. That was a great, balanced team who hit their threes and played sick defense. Then CP3 went out and they had to rely on Harden to be the leader again, and we all know how that goes.
2017: Besides Harden you had Eric Gordon and Lou Williams who are both elite at creating their own shot, Ariza, Ryan Anderson, and Pat Beverley who can all hit threes, and Capela and Nene who can both score inside. That was NOT a 1 on 5 situation. In the Game 1 win Ariza led six players in double figures with 23 and Harden and Capela had 20, in the Game 4 win Harden led with 28 but Gordon was another of 7 players in double figures with 22.
So with all that firepower on the court, how does Harden go just 3-17 with 4 turnovers in his Game 2 stinker? Rest of the team shot 52% from the field and 36% from three, you can't blame them, it was Harden who looked like shyt. And the Rockets guarded the Spurs bigs great that game but EVERY perimeter player lit them up, in part because whoever Harden was put on would kill him.
And then after Kawhi went out for Game 6, how does Harden go 2-11 with 6 turnovers and foul out of the game? Who did Spurs have with Kawhi gone, Patty Mills and an old TP? They KILLED him and he had the better team.
2015: Houston wasn't loaded but they had some ballers, Jason Terry could still create his own shot and Dwight was playing All-NBA basketball inside while Ariza, Josh Smith, and Corey Brewer could all hit jumpers.
That was the team that was getting KILLED and was about to lose the series against the Clippers (even though CP3 had an injured hamstring) with Harden going 5-20 in Game 5....until they benched him and the Rockets went on the biggest comeback in NBA playoff history without Harden on the court. Harden was -21 +/- in a WIN.
Then in Game 7 he followed up going 7-20 with 7 turnovers, but the rest of the team shot 48% from the field and 44% from three to pull them to victory anyway.
And in the next series when the Rockets had a chance to close to 3-2 against the Warriors and going home for Game 6, Harden had the worst elimination game in league history (2-11 with a record-breaking 12 turnovers to go along with 5 fouls). Ariza (16 on 5-9), Dwight (18-16 with 4 blocks), Terry (16 on 6-13), Brewer (16 on 5-10) all had good games and they only lost by 14, it was Harden's stinker and the fact that he couldn't guard ANYONE that cost them that game.
2012: Loaded team with Durant, Westbrook, and Ibaka. Yet with no pressure at all, Harden still goes 2-10 with 3/4 turnovers in each of the two pivotal games of the series. Even back when he was only the 4th most important player on the court, he still played like shyt when the pressure in the series got too hot.
Y'all got one excuse for another for him, but none of them fly. Hope y'all enjoy those regular-season stat lines.
