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Programming note: Watch the Warriors Outsiders pre-game edition Friday afternoon at 4:30 pm, live streaming on the MyTeams app.
While it remained 10:47 to play in the fourth quarter of Game 5 between Warriors and Rockets on Wednesday night, James Harden scored to reduce Houston's deficit to one.
At 8:58, he missed a pointer to 3. Harden left the game at 8:15 and came in at 7:05.
His next field goal – an attempt to shoot the Rockets by less than three points – came with 18.6 seconds.
In the almost 48 hours that followed Houston's loss to the NBA's three playoff games in the second round, many people wondered why Harden had not shot more.
Former Rockets striker and Hall of Fame member Tracy McGrady had an interesting strategic suggestion for Harden to enter the sixth game.
"I just watched this – do not do the good basketball game," McGrady told ESPN 's The Jump show. "Take back the game. You've done it all season.
"Do not put us (his teammates) in precarious positions with which we are uncomfortable now that the game is at stake.
"No. The game is in play. Take back the game."
So, if Harden gets trapped, bombed or dubbed, he should try to dribble into traffic and shoot in any case?
LeBron James was in the habit of being blamed for passing to his open teammate instead of forcing the contested shots late in tight games.
[[[[RELATED: Rockets owner makes bold statement about Harden's defense]
Are there any opportunities for Harden to be more aggressive in terms of hunting for his own shot? Yes. But the Warriors also forced the ball out of his hands frequently and forced the other players to beat them.
If Harden accepts McGrady's advice, it could eventually help the Warriors. Or, Harden could, you know, dominate and score 50 points.
We will see.
Follow @DrewShiller on Twitter and Instagram
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