Robert Horry: I don't want to watch the Rockets. Especially James. Thats not fun basketball

Also one of the worst Quits EVER.

 

The Rockets were fun to watch for most of the season, but I don't disagree that Harden's foul-baiting tactics were annoying even if they were legit. The real danger in relying so much on the whistle is that if/when the refs stop calling those fouls late in games and especially in the postseason, you and your team suffer. And Harden is an especially bad case because when he doesn't get those calls, he tends to mentally check out of the game and quit.

 

Curry has done the 3 shot foul move just as much if not more than Harden these playoffs and of course no one has said **** about it.

 

again.. it comes down to the beard. if harden shaves the giant bird nest on his face and rebrands himself, i bet people and analysts would change their tune towards him.

 

Shaq's Lakers weren't boring.
Spurs... that's another story, they were basically always boring until the last 5 years.
And that era did indeed suck.

These Rockets aren't unwatchable or the hardest to watch, by far, but for a successful team, and for Harden as an MVP candidate, they're not that enjoyable to watch.

They're offense was so historical because of analytics. It's a far cry from watching the Warriors or Cavs - of course that's basically true across the board - and they didn't have enough star power, and the one they do have is effective in such a "boring" way that there really isn't a player draw, like you might have with Blake Griffin, Giannis, etc.

Homer glass off, I legitimately enjoyed watching teams like the Bucks, TWolves, Jazz (who weren't great offensively but were so well coached, disciplined and always grinding). I loved watching the Nuggets the 2nd half of the season - the Jokic draw + Barton + emergence of Gary Harris was fun.

I think it just is what it is.

I mean we've got Horry: "Hakeem was 20x better than Duncan!!", BBS: "Heck yeah"
Horry: "Rockets aren't very watchabe", BBS: "that's bs! they scored so much"

One thing league pass and moving from Houston has done for me is allowed me to really pay attention more to other teams, players, styles, etc. Certainly relative to 20 years ago, when it was difficult to do so. And homer glasses off, I see what Horry sees.

I can't stand watching Westbrook either, btw. Actually, think its even worse.

 

I'm glad that video was pulled, I don't think I could listen to anyone else bash the Rockets today. Paul Pierce is still fresh on my mind.

 

The NBA is about seeing shots go in not seeing a guy at the FT line 15 times a game. It's not entertaining when Dwight is getting intentionally hacked and it's not entertaining when Harden forces his way there. Either way, watching free throws is watching free throws.

 

I dont like James Harden either so...

 

Did he say anything about Curry having 10 attempts in the FIRST QUARTER of Game 2 Finals?

See that's how I would start my giant defense of Harden against the haters, but after that Historic Quit, I just can't.... I'll need an entire off season and some Morey moves to get me excited before next season. We need another superstar. A big splash, real super star that can hedge against if Harden ever just goes full blown mental again in a game.

 

If anything they should blame Manu. He's the one that brought the overall style and 3 point shot fake and bump into the defender into a reliable/consistent play option on offense.

 

I dont enjoy watching all-star games where there's lots of scoring and no defense....

I prefer a balanced game where teams play on both ends of the court... not just trying to outrun each other... where's the glory in a monster dunk if nobody is trying to defend you....?

 

LOL, like I said, Horry played in the NBA's offensive nadir of an era where nobody got shots to go in, and on teams where Shaq took 13 FT's a game (Harden took 10.9 this year) playing at much slower pace than today's teams do.

 

Well, obviously you're in the minority because the pace & space era has coincided with an uptick in interest in the NBA

You'll always have 80-70 Jazz Bulls snoozefests to watch on NBA TV if you think that's more interesting.

 

We all know that James INITIATES contact - so quit yer b****in!

The point that put it over the edge was when he goes over the top of a screen and then hooks the defender with his off arm and hurls up a shot - that's just wrong...

And for everybody that says "well the refs call it... so he's smart to do it..." - refs call a lot of FLOPS too - doesn't make it right...

People wanna be a bunch of neidermeyers and cheer for flops or offense initiated shooting fouls - be my guest... but yer not a fan of the sport or sportsmanship - there's a word that doesnt get used often anymore - sportsmanship - look it up! smh....

 

What's not fun is watching a game where Harden's not getting those foul calls.

Now, replays do seem to generally back up that he's getting fouled on his drives. However, he embellishes the contact with his hands flinging up in the air and flat out blatantly attempting to draw fouls at times. He's to some percentage (you decide how much) responsible for the randomness with which he gets the calls now because he's overplayed his hand. If he'd just drive to the basket always looking to score, he'd probably get those foul calls more consistently.

I still have fun watching him blow by opponents and either lay it up or get fouled trying. It's the intentional trying to get free throws that makes it not fun, because it just adds more uncertainty to an persistently-uncertain Rockets team.

 

Anytime you dumb something down it will have greater appeal... People loved watching 30 second Tyson fits - but I wouldn't have called them the 'sweet science...'

As true fans of the sport - we should be against such changes that water down the true nature of the sport... but nah, most people just want to quote ridiculous stats instead of enjoying the game how it should be played - on both ends of the court...

Of course we live in an era where there are tons of bandwagon Patriots fans... when Bill Bellicheat shoulda been ostracized for his lack of respect for the sport, the league and fair play... smh...

 

People would rather blame the refs for not making a call - than expecting their million dollar athletes to actually take it to the hole like a man...

 

"We got robbed because the ref only gave us 20 free throws instead of 22... boo hoo hoo.... " lol

live by the call - die by the call... demand more from guys that are getting paid multi millions a year than relying on the refs to bail them out....

 

The current Warriors or LeBron Heat would absolutely destroy any of those early 2000's teams. But at least they'd know they play it the way it should be played.

 

I mean you don't have to take it this far.

Your original comment was on point, and @SamFisher didn't really respond to it. At least in my view, I also don't care for watching all offense, no defense.

Which has nothing to do with whether or not I like high scoring games, 3 pointers and high pace.

I absolutely do.

I just ALSO like seeing defense being attempted, lol.

I mean it's like the 1/2 a game where James basically just gives up defensively. Loses his guy on a backdoor cut. Makes almost 0% effort to defend a fast break, etc. And as a Rockets fan you think in your head "well, he has to be careful about fouls". Or "****, it happens, he's got to focus on the offense now". Lol. Reality is that's just bad basketball, and hard to watch.