Ryan Glasspiegel
Videos by OutKick
A lot of the attention for the sputtering of the Rockets’ late-game offense in their Game 6 loss against the Thunder is going to Russell Westbrook for an airball and a horribly-timed turnover. This isn’t unfair, but you should also look at how James Harden was moving — or wasn’t moving — in the game’s final 90 seconds:
Watch this and tell me Harden wanted the ball to decide the game. You cannot give less effort to get the ball. 3 clips. (One is just front row seat to schroeder drive). Its Game 6 of a playoff game! pic.twitter.com/ELbNwcAFIZ
— Chris Vernon (@ChrisVernonShow) September 1, 2020
On the first and third clips, Harden isn’t nearly assertive enough in trying to get open for the ball. In the middle clip, maybe Dennis Schroder wasn’t his man on defense, but this was a moment in the game that called for more urgency. Harden is a phenomenal player, but his effort in this stretch was severely lacking.
The Rockets and Thunder play Game 7 Wednesday night at 9:00 pm ET.
PS – look at Chris Paul with a gloating gaze at his former teammate Harden in the closing seconds of the game:
Chris Paul hates him pic.twitter.com/TCwxbqFKVM
— Marcus Bellucci (@PolishedMarcus) September 1, 2020
I think it’s more that Harden knew Russ wasn’t passing and he was frustrated with that. Even on that Westrbook airball you mentioned, Harden sprinted and saved it from out of bounds. Russ is a ballhog, which usually works for them, but not when he’s rusty as hell. Russ needs to defer to Harden until he gets it going again, because there’s no way that Harden demanding the ball from Russ will end well.
Didn’t watch
James Harden is playing regular season, 1st quarter basketball during a tight playoff game with a minute remaining. Gotta love Chris Paul for this. At least he cares about James Harden disrespecting the game.