To all the fans who cry about harden not getting respect

@Zboy
That was a close series
The Blazers had great supporting guards like Mo Williams and Jeremy Lin

 

Reading these posts. Lol lol

Here's the meat of it all. Harden is arguably the best, or at least one of the best scorers to ever play, with a game that is hard to watch.

 

Yes, Giannis is a better version of Westbrook with height and wingspan. Both are ridiculous athletic freaks who can finish at rim with lethal efficiency, stack up rebounds tirelessly, and run a fast break like a Ferrari zipping past economy cars.

However, neither can shoot threes in what has become the defining era of 3-point shooting. That is their killer weakness, which is keeping them from entering LeBron territory as dominant slashers in the paint. That's why Westbrook had to team up and play 2nd option to Harden, who can do it all from any part of the court on any given night.

Don't get me wrong Giannis and Westbrook are still beasts, but having a gravity well like Harden opens up so much more for Westbrook. That's why people are making the Kobe Memba comparisons in this thread because Harden is one of the greatest offensive players in NBA history, period.

 

Were you a fan of Dwayne Wade? Lebron James? Kevin Durant? Steph Curry? Manu Ginobili? Tony Parker? Pau Gasol? These guys are all "ref-baiters". Launch yourself into 6 people in the paint, flail, yell like you got shot. Free shots. It wins championships in the NBA, because NBA gonna NBA.

I will never argue that Harden doesn't bait for fouls, but why are fans so stupid that they just want to conveniently forget 20 years of prominent stars doing it? Did anyone ever watch the NBA finals going back to 2001?

 

Production wise, Harden is a top 10 offensive player of all time. Talent wise, I wouldn't say he is.

His playoff scoring efficiency and numbers are more indictive of where he should properly be ranked.

 

Do you actually know what his playoff effeciency numbers are?

Do you know what Kobe's are?

I think not?

 

Yes and I'm assuming you aren't adjusting for era.

Today 56% ts is league average. During Kobe's prime, it was around 50-52%.

Kobe's career ts% in the playoffs is above league average while Harden's is at league average.

 

So now it's adjusting for era?

Kobe's era is not much different and how about adjusting for teammates and coaching?

Since we are adjusting?

 

The massive gulf in ts% says otherwise. I suggest you look at average three point attempts by a NBA team over the past 20 years.

 

Well the argument in this thread isn't about making a case for Harden's overall career. It was about being great vs. good. As Kobe said and Wade agreed, only the greatest players receive the most hate.

Also, talent is pretty subjective because who says Harden's deceptive step-back 3 from a near standing position doesn't require tremendous talent? Who else in this league can stand around lulling the defender with his crafty dribbling, shift his weight ever so slightly, head faking the defender, then step-back and release a 3-pointer off one foot?

That requires talent.

It may not resemble the traditional parameters of talent such as speed, athleticism, jumping ability, etc, but man, I tell you Harden squeezes every ounce of talent from his body to perform this ballet on a nightly basis.

 

A lot of Harden's scoring ability relies on modern NBaa rules.

How many times have you seen defenders have PTSD from Harden drawing 3 pt fouls where all they do is just jump straight up and down. Especially with the landing space rules, Harden knows that in most cases he can get off a clean shot attempt without the defender putting in their full effort to close the space and try to alter the shot.

Also "greatest players only recieve the most hate" is a lazy narrative. The hate that players like Kobe received was vastly different than the hate Harden recieves today. The hate the LeBron or Curry recieve are very different than the hate Harden recieves. Again, people didn't call Kobe boring.

 

James Harden is THE most efficient scorer in the entire league.

2nd in NBA history to only Wilt Chamberlain.

So take your "one of" and stick it deep where the sun don't shine.

 

No he isn't the most efficient scorer in the NBA right. Even Damian Lillard has a higher efg% and ts% than Harden right now.

 

This guy sounds like 'holic to me

 

Does he? I don't really follow that poster's patterns really.

 

b****, please!!!

 

Now you are just making stuff up.

What modern NBA rule do you think Harden relies on.

Why can't other more talented players exploit these rules even more?

When was the last time you saw Harden get off a clean shot attempt?

 

That's right. Harden ain't shiet in the playoffs.

So harden not shiet!

 

Landing space rules. Hence why Harden can spam such a historic amount of contested threes with the same exact dribble pattern. He's not like KD who can just launch up a shot any time he wants because of his absurd length while also jumping high on his shot. Harden relies on defenders being afraid to be called for the landing space foul. Harden barely even jumps on his shot. It's almost purely reliant on knowing the defenders are too afraid to be called for a landing space foul.

 

How is this guy not banned yet.

Yeesh!