TheAthletic- There was something of a clash of styles brewing throughout the Rockets season, with members of the team — most notably Paul — having spirited discussions with Mike D’Antoni about the offense and pushing for more movement, league sources told The Athletic. That type of fast-paced, ball-moving offense is what D’Antoni thrived with in Phoenix, and to the two-time Coach of the Year’s credit, he has adapted it in Houston to allow Harden to succeed in his game.
But Harden and Paul had tense moments with one another throughout Game 6, culminating in a verbal back-and-forth postgame that went into the locker room, sources with knowledge of the situation told The Athletic. Sources said the verbal exchange between Harden and Paul was regarding the ball distribution throughout Game 6. By the time the remainder of the locker room was ready to talk, Paul and Harden had gone their separate ways, with Paul swiftly making his way to the postgame podium. The Rockets dispensed with exit interviews this year, so the media hasn’t been able to ask Paul or Harden about the disappointment. ------ I'll tell you what, while I would love to sit here and pat myself on the ass for suggesting the James Harden and Chris Paul would eventually bitch and moan their way into a power struggle over dribbles per possession, I think the statue of limitations has run out on that take. I definitely do enjoy being right, but we're talking about...::checks calendar::...two full seasons played together prior to a publicized spat over who gets to pound more air pressure out of the basketball. I hardly thought two of the most enigmatic, ball-dominant players in the entire NBA would make it more than two quarters without killing each other, so I can't imagine anyone else had the Spring of 2019 in the prediction pool for their first pissing contest. The Rockets, as infuriatingly Harden-centric as their offense might be, have actually been impressively understanding in being asked to largely stand around during the execution of that strategy. That, of course, hasn't cured the perennial postseason woes of their two most insatiable egos, but at least those egos have remained in check enough for them to continue finding new ways of coming up short in competing with the Warriors. That might rightfully read somewhat sarcastic. However, look no further than the annual implosions of the Clippers for proof that the alternative outcome of their attitudes clashing could have been a hell of a lot worse than being the ultimate bridesmaid as the consensus runner-up for best team in the Western Conference every year.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Categories
All
Archives
January 2020
|