Guards ace first test, go up a weight class
After Suns, Grizzlies to give Paul, Harden more to sort out
PHOENIX — The short answer was as obvious as the 90 points on the scoreboard at halftime on Thursday.
To mesh Chris Paul and James Harden in the same backcourt, sharing the same ball, the Rockets need only to have both make nearly all of their shots while playing together and be sure to face the approximation of defense offered by the young, overmatched Phoenix Suns.
Since that might not be much of a long-term plan, however, the Rockets considered Saturday’s game against the much more distracting defense of the Memphis Grizzlies as a more useful challenge.
More than that, it could be the start of answering those question that have remained as much a part of the narrative about the Rockets as 3-pointers and of the process neither thought would be an issue.
“We just hoop,” Paul said. “It’s as simple as that. We play with what the defense gives us. I’m going to push it. He’s going to push it. We’re just going to play.”
That does sound simple, but Paul also knew there will be situations the Rockets have not faced with their star guards on the floor together.
Late in a close game, who handles the ball to initiate offense? If the team is struggling and trailing and a center takes the ball out of the net, who does he inbound it to? If shots are missing and the
Rockets come out of a timeout, what do they run?
Other teams that have put together stars, including the Oklahoma City Thunder this season, have needed time to work through those questions. But the Rockets are convinced that the playmaking ability of both guards will keep those questions from becoming issues, with both as happy to give as to receive.
“There’s so many different scenarios we haven’t been in yet,” Paul said. “We haven’t been in the end-of-game situation. But we both have a good feel for the game. We’re going to figure it out. I’m not going to say we have, but we’re going to figure it out.”
Catch-and-shoot time
The Rockets are in many ways in nearly uncharted territory.
Only four sets of guards to have already been firstteam All-NBA selections three times each have come together and only one of the other pairs, Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman from 1958 to 1961, had a pair of guards in their prime.
Only four other backcourts have paired former assists champions, but by the time they came together, none of the others had both players average more than 22 minutes.
If Harden continues to shoot as he had been, making nearly 40 percent of his 3-pointers this season, the Rockets could skip the adjustment process by having Paul work as a playmaker while Harden fires away. Harden laughed at the idea of becoming Kyle Korver for five minutes each half. But in a way, that is part of how the Rockets hope to make the mix work.
“Shoot if I can, yeah, catch-and-shoot opportunities would be great,” Harden said. “There’s a lot less stress. It’s a lot more just going out there playing free. For both of us that’s the goal, just to get a lot more catch-and-shoot opportunities.”
Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni almost welcomed the “bumps” he has long expected. But he had seen so much offense in the 142116 rout of Phoenix that he started to sound as if the challenge might not be so great. Friday’s practice was more of a light walkthrough, but after a day off Sunday, the Rockets have two practice days — their first full-scale workouts of the season with their backcourt together — next week.
“We need a couple days of practice next week when we can really practice,” D’Antoni said. “We’ll just do what we do and see what the bumps are. I don’t think there will be any, but you never know.
“They’ll share a little bit. (Harden) won’t have all the burden of delivering points. It shouldn’t be that much of an adjustment. When he has the ball, he’ll make the plays. When Chris has it, he’ll make it. I think they’ll share a little more. (Harden) shouldn’t be as fatigued as he has (been) because he has to make every play.”
Grizzlies to test ‘swag’
With Paul looking remarkably sharp for a player out for nearly a month and Harden on perhaps the best offensive roll of his career, it had become difficult to worry. The Grizzlies have the defense to change that. But the Rockets were so encouraged by their first look at their star backcourt when healthy, they were eager to step up in weight class.
“They are really aggressive, really active, really long,” Harden said. “You need challenges like this, especially early in the season, to get your movement, to get your swag right.”
They sounded as if they already had. While others question how Harden and Paul will share a backcourt and the ball, they looked forward to finding out.
“I’m excited about it,” Paul said. “It definitely poses a different challenge for us. For us, and I say it all the time, when we come out to play, it’s about us. We have to impose our will.”
Sounds like a plan, if perhaps not as easy as it sounds.
jonathan.feigen@chron.com twitter.com/jonathan_feigen