There were 15.2 seconds left when the Rockets made a push for the final play of the match. They had just seen their five-point lead turn into a one-point deficit following the Clippers’ third basket in the last three-quarter of a minute, but head coach Mike D’Antoni elected not to call their last timeout all the same. They were down one, but confident nonetheless; among other things, they had the league’s most potent scorer in James Harden on their side. And the ball did get to him with 10 ticks to spare. So far, so good; he was poised to add to an extremely efficient 37-point, 12-assist outing.
Unfortunately for the Rockets, bad spacing had Harden facing double coverage as soon as he touched the ball. Not taking any chances, the Clippers enveloped him with defensive demons Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. He immediately made the right play, passing to a wide-open Russell Westbrook. He figured he would get the ball anew after his fellow All-Star, knowing well enough to trust him with the outcome of the set-to, created the requisite separation. He thought wrong; he never got the ball back. Instead, he saw his backcourtmate launch an ill-advised try from beyond the arc that sealed their fate. Why a 22-percent shooter opted to do so when a made two would have led to a win just the same is anybody’s guess.
Granted, Westbrook was free — make that extremely free — for the three-point attempt. Then again, there’s a reason the defense (and, in particular, former teammate George) practically dared him to shoot. He has a historically poor touch anywhere on the court except in the shaded area. And he was particularly atrocious the other day; prior to his hero heave, he was just one of six from trey territory. He even had an airball of a short open shot earlier in the contest. Yet, for all his failings, he thought best to decide the Rockets’ destiny by doing the one thing he shouldn’t have in the crunch.
And therein lies the rub. Westbrook is an asset; his whirling-dervish style has propped up the Rockets’ pace and improved their offensive metrics. That said, his effectiveness as a bulldozing baller has already been handicapped by his advancing age; his finishes at the rim have become less of a sure thing in recent memory. Meanwhile, and more tellingly, he continues to also be a liability. Harden’s singular skill set often has him stationed as a release valve, but he does not possess an adequate touch to at least make the think twice before leaving him alone in the perimeter.
By most accounts, the Rockets went for addition by subtraction in the offseason by unloading erstwhile starting guard Chris Paul, whose relationship with Harden had fractured beyond the point of repair. Meanwhile, Westbrook was a childhood buddy who promised harmony — and, by extension, productivity — on the floor. As the loss to the Clippers showed, however, the move came with tradeoffs. There will be plenty more instances when his defender will leave him alone, and what he does in these times figure to shape their campaign for the hardware. The good news is that the season is young; they still have time to improve. If they truly harbor title hopes, they would do well to help him do so, but sooner rather than later. Else, certain disappointment is in the offing.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
