163 replies to this topic

[Knickabokkaz]

So apparently after this horrible loss to the Lakers there were stories about Harden having to be settled down from yelling at Lin about a shot he took while the time was running down late in the game. This is my retort to this nonsense.

First of all, Mr. I want to do everything myself Harden needs to STFU. The more I see him play, the more I think about Carmelo Anthony, volume shot taker, horrible FG%. just because you take tins of shots and score tons of points with barely any defense means nothing to me, he ain't no SUPERSTAR. plain and simple, if there is anyone on this Rockets team who has showed improvement in every aspect of his game, it's Jeremy Lin. Even on the defensive side where I could argue, is Patrick Beverley even a better defender then Lin. On ball, Patricks a better defender but Lin is a lot smarter and playing a lot better on ball. thanks for that 1/10 shooting Beverley, and your D wasn't all that impressive.

I don't care if the box score says Harden put up 35 points, look how bad his shooting % is, 9/24, he gives up atleast 20 total or more to the person he's guarding. Didn't he say he worked on defense in the summer? Ask JJ Reddick how easy it is to score on Harden with his horrific defense but doesn't get the blame because he's supposedly the *star of the team which is BS.

There are other stories to which players are yelling at Lin for trying to run the play McHale tries to run! then for some reason when he tries to run it! it turns into ISO Harden, THEN McHale has the nerve to yell at Lin for the play not being run and then Jeremy yelled BACK at McHale and said "I am trying to run the play!" Then McHale tried yelling at Harden and he just turns his back.

WTF is going on here, someone (Huq) try to explain all this crap Lins getting.
is Jeremy Lin a scapegoat?

[junglejim]

James Harden was yelling at Francisco Garcia after a turnover last night (even though the blame was clearly on Harden for dribbling the ball for 18 seconds).  He's a little immature like that.

[Richards]

McHale asked Lin to run a certain play but end up in Harden ISO. McHale yelled at Lin and all Lin could say was I tried. But McHale didn't have courage to rip into Harden. Last night, Harden was yelling at Lin for the shot he didn't get. Bev had to calm him down.

[Mario Peña]

I am not interested in rumours for one. As to Jeremy Lin well he just isn't that important, not even important enough to be a scapegoat. He is a 13 point 4 assist guy that will be a bench player if this Rockets team evolves into a championship contender in my opinion.

[Richards]

James Harden was yelling at Francisco Garcia after a turnover last night (even though the blame was clearly on Harden for dribbling the ball for 18 seconds).  He's a little immature like that.

Remember in Portland game, Harden threw away the ball and yelled at Parsons. Coaches need to handle this. Scapegoating is not a right thing. 

[Mario Peña]

Yelling on the court is not a big deal. NBA coaches and players are not going to politely whisper what they have to say to each other, come on guys.

[junglejim]

Yelling on the court is not a big deal. NBA coaches and players are not going to politely whisper what they have to say to each other, come on guys.

 

Harden's leadership (or lack thereof) IS a big issue.  In order for Houston to win a championship in this era, our superstar needs to compliment the team's role players, not eschew them.  Kobe, for example, plays with intensity and is highly demanding of his teammates, but he's demanding in a way that pushes them to be better as a team.

[timetodienow1234567]

Hardens lack of intensity at times is troubling, but you have to take the bad with the good.

[Richards]

Yelling on the court is not a big deal. NBA coaches and players are not going to politely whisper what they have to say to each other, come on guys.

A player should be yelled at for a poor play. Nothing wrong with that.

But a player cannot scapegoat others for his own mistake. That is no cool.

[Mario Peña]

Back to the subject, Lin is not important enough to be a scapegoat. Lin doesn't matter that much and I am not sure why this thread even exists.

[Mason Khamvilay]

With superstar status comes a superstar ego, unfortunately Harden isn't an exception to that, Harden has too much pride to blame himself so he blames someone else. There's no question about it, Harden is a top 10 player in this league. We as fans need to understand that no one is perfect, we have to be able to take the good and the bad. Overall, I feel very fortunate James Harden is a Houston Rocket. 

Edited by 2016Champions, 08 November 2013 - 02:55 PM.

[Cooper]

CUT Harden!!! Where's my pitchfork and torches?!? Get rid of all the guards except Lin. Trot out a Lin parsons jones smith asik Howard lineup and get rid of those dirty yelling ball hogs.

[Mario Peña]

With superstar status comes a superstar ego, unfortunately Harden isn't an exception to that, Harden has too much pride to blame himself so he blames someone else. There's no question about it, Harden is a top 10 player in this league. We as fans need to understand that no one is perfect, we have to be able to take the good and the bad. Overall, I feel very fortunate James Harden is a Houston Rocket. 

 

Very good take. I don't completely share your opinion but agree with what you have written. This post is short and right to the point.

 

 

CUT Harden!!! Where's my pitchfork and torches?!? Get rid of all the guards except Lin. Trot out a Lin parsons jones smith asik Howard lineup and get rid of those dirty yelling ball hogs.

 

Pretty funny Cooper, I got a good laugh. There is some absurdity here and what better way to respond.

[thenit]

Back to the subject, Lin is not important enough to be a scapegoat. Lin doesn't matter that much and I am not sure why this thread even exists.

 

 

I am not interested in rumours for one. As to Jeremy Lin well he just isn't that important, not even important enough to be a scapegoat. He is a 13 point 4 assist guy that will be a bench player if this Rockets team evolves into a championship contender in my opinion.

 

I totally disagree with the notion that Lin isn't important enough to even have as a scapegoat. Its really dismissive comment to him as a player, that he won't matter if we were to contend for a championship and that you are implying that he will just be another bench player.

 

I do think he had a solid game last night and was one of the better rockets for the first 5 games this season and the most consistent one. My take is that Lin should be the 3rd or 4th option offensively and in no means will he be a  superstar or even a star but we will need him if we are going to contend in a championship. He is the only ohter wing player besides Harden that can create his own shot. Once the teams persists on hack a dwight and double team on Harden, someone else needs to step up, whether that is Lin or not remains to be seen.

 

Last night Lin had a solid game, but totally missed out on the Nash screen and got caught. So he was one at fault at that play, as well as the inbound play to Howard should have never been made. The team didn't deserve to win last night.

 

In terms of the rumours on whats going on the bench and locker room, I will take that with a pinch of salt, because these are profesional athletes, unless they are bullying Lin or anyone else in the team, or treat them unfairly, they should be able to handle it.

[blakecouey]

Six games in and people are already questioning our team, and more specifically our best player. It's like people don't see LeBron, Wade, and Bosh yell at Chalmers anytime anything bad happens, whether it was his fault or theirs.

[rocketrick]

Let's see, oh yes, I remember clearly now. LeBron joined forces with DWade and Bosh in Miami in 2010-2011 but ooops, Dallas beat them in the Finals and all year long all the skeptics put in their digs while they could about that Miami Heat team.

 

2 1/2 years later, the Heat have won back to back NBA Championships (not that common in the history of the NBA) and are favored by some to win their 3rd.

 

Personally, I believe a lot of Rockets detractors on this board simply need to get a life.

 

6 games in and it's time for major changes, everybody sucks, it's a disaster from the way some on these boards are panicking.

 

Welcome to the NBA.

 

I have seen this story before back in the 1990's when many in Houston were demanding Rudy T be fired and Hakeem the Dream be traded.

[thejohnnygold]

You can't spell "hurt feelings" without L-I-N.  As long as he is on the Rockets there will be fans bemoaning his treatment.  Fortunately, almost all (I have seen a couple of reasonable LOF's) are easy to spot because they all read the same articles and blogs and subsequently use the same buzz words.

 

Don't get me wrong--I am glad you guys are fans.  It's just that this is a Rockets Blog and you will not find sympathizers for your Lin-fatuation here.  On the contrary, there are many here who find him to be ho-hum and others who want him gone.  For the record, I like him and think he is an ideal PG for this team, but I'm not worried about how he feels--just how he fills the stat sheet.

[wph342711]

I don't think pointing out issues in Harden's game makes a fan an ingrate. I can be enthused that he's a Rocket and appreciate what he means to our team while also finding certain aspects of his game and his demeanor, as currently constructed, a bit uninspiring. I have questions about Harden's leadership abilities and lack of defensive effort (concerns, that i think, inform each other).

 

But that being said, it's still too early (both in this season and in his career) to make a sweeping conclusion about who he is or what he can accomplish. Just as I think it is premature to dismiss Jeremy Lin as someone who will never be an important player on a championship contending team, when i) he has been our third best player this season so far without question and ii) we can point to tangible difference in his game from last year that can qualitivaley support his quantitvately better output.

 

There are definite issues with our team right now, particularly the perimeter D. But these guys are all still young, and are now, for the first time playing with expectations and national attention.  Notwithstanding expressing frustation at each other after a frustrating loss, I feel pretty confident about the overall chemistry of this team, and think they will work it out.

[rockets best fan]

You can't spell "hurt feelings" without L-I-N.  As long as he is on the Rockets there will be fans bemoaning his treatment.  Fortunately, almost all (I have seen a couple of reasonable LOF's) are easy to spot because they all read the same articles and blogs and subsequently use the same buzz words.

 

Don't get me wrong--I am glad you guys are fans.  It's just that this is a Rockets Blog and you will not find sympathizers for your Lin-fatuation here.  On the contrary, there are many here who find him to be ho-hum and others who want him gone.  For the record, I like him and think he is an ideal PG for this team, but I'm not worried about how he feels--just how he fills the stat sheet.

well said JG. now everyone knows I don't like him. I do not want to read a new tread on Lin after every game on how many ways he was done wrong within that game. I think this is more annoying than any of the problems I have with him as a player. when we finally do trade him I hope we also trade his fans  I agree some of them are reasonable, but most are unrealistic and lack objectiveness. THIS SEASON ISN'T ABOUT J-LIN....IT'S ABOUT THE ROCKETS

[Mario Peña]

I totally disagree with the notion that Lin isn't important enough to even have as a scapegoat. Its really dismissive comment to him as a player, that he won't matter if we were to contend for a championship and that you are implying that he will just be another bench player.

 

"Dismissive to him as a player" is the part that jumps out at me. Wow, perhaps you meant something else but if that is what you meant and I am understanding you correctly then I am astounded. First of all I am just a fan and I don't think Jeremy Lin cares what my opinion is so it's a little overly dramatic to call it dismissing him as a player. I am just a long time Rockets fan as well as NBA fan, since about 1985. I am sure there are fellow forum members that totally disagree with me as well I hope there are but to mention I am being dismissive is not an accurate characterization when in reality I am just critiquing the post that began the thread as well as expectations of Lin.

 

Top and bottom Lin for his career is an 11.7 points per game/5.1 assists a game guy and if these Rockets become a top 3 team in the league in the next couple years my basketball experience tells me Lin ends up bouncing back and forth as starter and reserve and averages about 13 or 14 and maybe 4 assists. I hope he succeeds because I believe he can be a crucial bench scorer similar to Vinnie Johnson from those Pistons teams. I am well aware that some forum members believe Lin could be an All Star and as great as his story is I just completely disagree with that opinion. Lin has an elite skill which is his first step/acceleration but everyone has that in their scouting report now so that little run he had when he caught the league off guard is something that will probably not ever occur again to that extent.
 

Just as Lin only fans enjoy pointing out it's fine to critique James Harden, Coach McHale, Patrick Beverley as well as others I will also continue to critique Lin and Lin fans' posts if I see something worth critiquing. I believe I have been here long enough and follow enough basketball to do that.