Basketball and NBA enthusiasts often chamber or criticize the Houston Rockets and James Harden because of their stereotypical play which revolves essentially around the isolations of superstars. It’s not just an impression. A statistic shows how real it is. The 2018 MVP alone compiled 14.5 isolations per game. To give you an idea, it’s more than … any team in the league!
But it doesn’t stop there. Russell Westbrook also enjoys. With 7.4 one-on-one games played on average each night. Again, that’s more than twenty franchises. The two men therefore compile 22 of the… 23 possessions disputed in isolation by the Rockets. Obviously, the training that relies the most on this particular situation is very, very far. The Blazers, second, point to 11.2.
However, it is quite effective. James Harden is one of the most formidable players in the league head-to-head. 1.12 points per possession. In the NBA top-5. With his offensive arsenal, his step-back, his agility and his mobility as well as his exterior skill, he is one of the most complete attackers of his generation. It’s just a shame that it makes the Rockets’ game so predictable. It would be good to be able to vary the styles to give even more weight to the attack of Mike D’Antoni.
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