Harden's noticeable improvement in defensive focus.

Defense is key. Top 3 offense with top 5-10 defense will give the Rockets a chance against the Warriors.

Even being the best offense means nothing without good defense.

 

Media faints

 

He looks like he's doing better watching his man off ball.

What he needs to work on now is communicating when help responsibility changes between him and the other defender on the weak side.

 

Cue ESPN highlighting Harden's first really bad defensive play of the season, with hosts laughing afterward.

There was one play in last night's game where CP3 pretty much just gave up on someone's drive to the hoop, not contesting it in the slightest. Had that been Harden, you'd already be seeing it on ESPN this morning.

 

Pls edit post in case ESPN is lurking and gets bad ideas.

 

CP3 is a Hard-Nosed Competitor & That Has to Rub off on James Harden. We already know he is a Great Offensive Player, now he needs to work on his Defense just like Steph Curry did. Harden won't have to worry about carrying the Offense this season. He needs to work on Defense, FT's, & Consistency in the Playoffs! Then we can talk about Competing against the Warriors. Any who Next Tuesday Fixing to be LIT!!!!

 

Ye I saw a bit more effort on that department. Also boxing out for rebounds which was one of our weaknesses last season.
If we manage to get into top 10 on defense and cut turnovers under 13 we have a fighters chance against any team.
I'm becoming more optimistic that GS are beatable, but maybe that's just wishful thinking.

 

I am a Harden fan, however anything is an upgrade defensively for him if he is trying. How many times did we see him get blown by, or him to half a$$ reach around to try to poke the ball out as they go by and then look and yell at Capela or Ariza for the help defense. Help defense is there when there is time to react. When the player gets free run to the basket, you cant expect your guys to leave theirs in time. Just saying anything better then prior effort is good for me.

 

My observation was that the team switches on picks. I think that this is done specifically to mitigate one of Harden's biggest defensive flaws in being able to fight through screens.

Our roster can play that way when we put out a certain roster.

But I think it was telling that MDA said something like we were switching out of convenience (lazy).
Perhaps instead of actual game plan.

Harden's biggest flaws
1) ball watching on backdoors and boxouts
2) not fighting through screens
3) careless turnovers
4) forcing threes

So far in the preseason, he has shown me nothing to improve from prev years.

Harden is ultimately a brilliant offensive player that has severe flaws in his game from a dedication and stylistic standpoint that will always prevent him being a top 3 player in the league.

Hopefully Paul will help him with that.

 

...and I would say the opposite - they switch with Harden because he is the rare small player who is strong enough to put up a decent defense against larger/strong/slower offensive players.

Also, let's not forget that part of what makes GS so good is that they can switch on nearly everything and still put up a reasonable defensive effort. You may call it a lazy gameplan but it also happens to be the strategy of one of the best teams of all time.

 

People keep mentioning CP3 when it comes to being on Hardens ass about defense, buy I saw Raptor fans praising Tucker for really helping DeRozan D up last season. Hopefully one if not both of them keep him true on the defensive end.

 

Great thread OP.

Not sure if its CP3 or all the additions as a whole, but I've noticed it as well.

Great to see. Hope it continues.

 

Don't be stupid

His defense has been ****. 4 plays off the top of my head from last game, and classic backdoor play by Roberson first game. Thats just based off the top of my head, not actually looking at it.

Let's not be delusional. His is still ****ing miserable.

SIL

 

What 4 plays were those?

 

2 were with Ennis, and I remember him looking back at Ariza and Ryno like c'mon guys...it was his fault though. The other one the guy went right by him, just flat out. No resistance. And then another he and PJ switched, but he didn't actually switch in the 3rd I believe.

I'll point them all out in the SA game thread for future validity and credibility. Everyone of them

SIL

 

Please edit your quote of that post in case ESPN is lurking and gets bad ideas.

 

Can we talk about Ryan Andersons amazing defense and box out skills? Makes me really excited............... that he will never play in the end of any games this year.