Report: James Harden convinced Rockets to fire Kevin McHale, tried to get Dwight Howard traded

[Tha_Mac]

Can't win with him as your #1 option - I been saying this since forever.

12-13: 45-37
13-14: 54-28
14-15: 56-26
15-16: 29-29

That looks like winning to me including being in the playoffs every year as a #1 option.

Because his skillset and temperament is completely unreliable in a playoff setting. Don't get me wrong, he's one of the most talented guards we have in the league - he just isn't somebody you can rely on because his skillset is limited for that role - which is half the reason he's inconsistent.

In his last six playoff series - he's shot under 40% in FOUR of them (one of them against the Clippers where he was left on the bench in a series decider after playing horribly shooting 5-20, and his team came back from a near-20 point deficit in the 4th quarter without him - in one of the most, if not the most improbable comebacks in postseason history), against the Warriors he did have some standout games but they were ultimately tainted by his Game 7 performance where he shot 2-11 and broke the record for most turnovers in a playoff game (12 turnovers). He also had a 10 turnover, 4-12 shooting performance against the Thunder a few seasons prior. Out of his last six playoff series, he's pretty much only had one good series (first round against the Mavs who were more dysfunctional than the Rockets) where he's been relatively consistent throughout; the rest of them have been either extremely poor or extremely inconsistent.

That was game 5 and since you are focusing on the postseason in this post and this is the last one Harden has played in that GSW series was in what round again the Western Conference Finals. You have to win in the playoffs to reach the WCF. Harden was the #1 option last season in the playoffs wasn't he? Is reaching the Conference Finals not winning?

You didn't say a championship you just said winning. Now winning a championship is certainly the goal for the team but you feel like Harden can't be a #1 option on a winning team. Which is a dumb statement to make becuz there is evidence to debunk that already not counting what he might do for the rest of his career.

Also all of sudden this narrative that Harden is a selfish player is baffling becuz last year he was such a great facilitator that made his team mates better. But now he is selfish for playing the same style as he has always played. The Rockets offense is structured that way for Harden to create the majority of the teams offense. Many might not agree with the style and that's okay but that's how this team is structured. With that said he operates that offense at an elite level.

 

[M'gann]

 

[malbaker86]

You see it.

This is coming from a Lakers fan. Dude messed up here, but I really wish we saw him in the play-offs with a healthy Kobe.

Has a lot more heart than people give him credit for.

Woulda still got bounced by SA with a healthy Kobe

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

12-13: 45-37
13-14: 54-28
14-15: 56-26
15-16: 29-29

That looks like winning to me including being in the playoffs every year as a #1 option.

That's because he can get away with inconsistent performances during the regular season when y'all had one of the best defenses in the league, and he's not playing the same team in a series span.

That was game 5 and since you are focusing on the postseason in this post and this is the last one Harden has played in that GSW series was in what round again the Western Conference Finals. You have to win in the playoffs to reach the WCF. Harden was the #1 option last season in the playoffs wasn't he? Is reaching the Conference Finals not winning?

Again, the team came to his rescue when y'all were down 2-3 in a closeout game to the Clippers in the second round - he played absolutely horrible going 5-20, putting the Rockets in a hole; the Clippers had a near 20-pt lead going into the fourth quarter. McHale left Harden on the bench and not only did the Rockets come back up from that deficit, but they also ended up winning by double digits. All without Harden. Harden was the main reason they nearly lost that series, and the role players and Howard were the ones that basically won that series for them. If it weren't for them - Harden would've shot under 40% in four of his last five playoff games and there'd be even more talk around Harden's inability to carry the team in the postseason.

You didn't say a championship you just said winning. Now winning a championship is certainly the goal for the team but you feel like Harden can't be a #1 option on a winning team. Which is a dumb statement to make becuz there is evidence to debunk that already not counting what he might do for the rest of his career.

I then added that his skillset and temperament as the #1 option is unreliable in a playoff setting. It's not a dumb statement, it's a statement that has so far been proven correct.

Also all of sudden this narrative that Harden is a selfish player is baffling becuz last year he was such a great facilitator that made his team mates better. But now he is selfish for playing the same style as he has always played.

What exactly are you talking about? Where did you see me bringing up this selfish narrative?

The Rockets offense is structured that way for Harden to create the majority of the teams offense. Many might not agree with the style and that's okay but that's how this team is structured. With that said he operates that offense at an elite level.

Who is this directed to? I know that y'all offense is designed around Harden being the #1 scorer/#1 facilitator. And no he does not operate the offense at an elite level. The Rockets not only have the 20th ranked offense, but Harden's also leading the league in turnovers.

 

[Damnshow]

This is some cac culture vulture journalist talking shyt on james harden, am I supposed to believe what this dracula smiling middle aged they smile in your face backstabber has to say with this shytty multiple sources? I wanna see clear proof that it happened, is there someone from inside of organization proving that he did try to fire them coaches and shyt? It's very easy to shyt on james harden but I ain't going to believe what some multiple sources quick views grabbing article has to say

 

[duckbutta]

You can't give presti credit cause he got shyt in return for harden

If Harden has turned into the borderline cancer he is now in OKC...which would have soured the relationship between their two top 10 players...just getting him off the team is a win...

 

[Tha_Mac]

Again, the team came to his rescue when y'all were down 2-3 in a closeout game to the Clippers in the second round - he played absolutely horrible going 5-20, putting the Rockets in a hole; the Clippers had a near 20-pt lead going into the fourth quarter. McHale left Harden on the bench and not only did the Rockets come back up from that deficit, but they also ended up winning by double digits. All without Harden. Harden was the main reason they nearly lost that series, and the role players and Howard were the ones that basically won that series for them. If it weren't for them - Harden would've shot under 40% in four of his last five playoff games and there'd be even more talk around Harden's inability to carry the team in the postseason.

While you love to mention the game 6 comeback vs the Clips becuz of Harden's absence you always fail to mention what he did in game 7 in a must win situation. That would be 31 pts, 7 rebs, 8 asts and 3 stls.

What exactly are you talking about? Where did you see me bringing up this selfish narrative?



Who is this directed to? I know that y'all offense is designed around Harden being the #1 scorer/#1 facilitator. And no he does not operate the offense at an elite level. The Rockets not only have the 20th ranked offense, but Harden's also leading the league in turnovers.

That was not directed towards you. It was just my thoughts on the narrative I hear the media and analysts on tv spewing off at the mouth about.

 

[TrebleMan]

Woulda still got bounced by SA with a healthy Kobe

Would have got a healthy Kobe vs Kawhi series though

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

While you love to mention the game 6 comeback vs the Clips becuz of Harden's absence you always fail to mention what he did in game 7 in a must win situation. That would be 31 pts, 7 rebs, 8 asts and 3 stls.

Again, you're failing to see the bigger picture. Without that comeback where they dug him and the team out of the grave he put them in - he wouldn't have had a chance to play anymore games because the Rockets would've been eliminated. That postseason exit would've been at the hands of Harden, just like the postseason exit before that and the one before that - three playoff exits in a row down to the #1 option's poor performances. I mean I wouldn't hold it against him, if he'd been consistent not only in that series (which he wasn't), and in series in postseasons prior to that. But he hasn't been, he's just continued along the trend of being unreliable and inconsistent during the playoffs.

This was not directed towards you. It was just my thoughts on the narrative I hear the media and analysts on tv spewing off at the mouth about.

Fair enough.

 

[Joe Sixpack]

Real shyt ...all signs been pointing to Harden being the league's next scumbag all-star on deck for a minute. This dude had two of most embarrassing moments in recent playoff history last year alone. Doesn't get nearly enough shyt for it. This stuff about him being a reason behind McHale being fired just compounds the shyt. Its been entirely too easy to blame everything on Dwight because he's a true to life fukkboy, but Harden man....

I don't know. He can't be calling shots for your franchise like this.

Word!

Harden is the most flagrant popcorn love ass nikka I have ever seen.

Houston is a joke followin that hipster clown.

When is Daryl Morey gonna get clipped ?