Article on Harden in big German weekly DER SPIEGEL

http://spon.de/aforV

It's remarkable because it's highly unusual to have a whole article on one player in the biggest German weekly that, on top, mostly deals with political contents.

Harden gets appreciation, at least in Germany.

Article, translated by computer:

SPIEGEL ONLINE
SPORTS


NBA star James Harden
A beard to fear


NBA star James Harden is currently playing historically well. The problem: more than a series of personal records will hardly be possible this season.

From Philipp Awounou


"Fear the beard," fear the beard.

This mantra has been haunting the basketball world for years. It pays homage to the superstar of the Houston Rockets: James Harden. The 29-year-old is six-time NBA all-star, most valuable player in the league (2018), basketball world champion (2014) and Olympic champion (2012). A highly decorated athlete also- and yet his opponents have never had to fear the bearded one so much as in the past weeks. The Shooting Guard is in the form of his life - and lets records fall every evening.

"It's crazy," Harden's currently injured co-star Chris Paul, himself a nine-time all-star and 2013's most valuable player, told sports broadcaster ESPN recently. "It's crazy to watch and witness the games. What he does is unbelievable."

Like once Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant

In the last twelve games, Harden led his Rockets to eleven wins, with 40.1 points, 9.0 assists and 6.6 rebounds. Harden is now the only player in NBA history to have scored at least 35 points and 5 assists in eight consecutive games.

He is also the only player to sink five threes in the same interval. Harden also scored 40 or more points five times in a row, which only Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant have achieved in the past 50 years. Harden can even extend all these records - and quite a few ask themselves how to stop the dreaded beard in this condition.

"You can't. You can't defend him unless you foul him without the referee whistling," says Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni about his superstar. J.B. Bickerstaff, former coach of Harden and currently coach of the Memphis Grizzlies, said: "Some of his throws are just not defensible. Previously, his former protégé had poured him 43 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists.

At the same time powerful, fast and skilful

What makes Harden so strong is his rare combination of physical, technical and cognitive abilities: In his position, he is probably the most powerful player in the league, but at the same time he moves very quickly and quickly across the floor. Since Clint Capela also assists him with one of the NBA's most capable block adjusters, Harden often succeeds with ease in penetrating the zone where he finishes with unprecedented timing, pulls fouls or finds better positioned players. A total of 19.2 times per game Harden moves to the basket this season, he generates 11.8 points from these actions, plus 11.1 free throws - all league highs, of course.

But even more dangerous is Harden outside the zone, behind the three-point line, from where he starts more than half (12.2) of his 22.1 rolls. One of his specialties is the dribbling trio, one of the most difficult basketball finishes. Harden manage 11.1 per game. He also likes to play under pressure, like last time in the night on Thursday in the final seconds against NBA champion Golden State: Over Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, i.e. over two top defenders, Harden fired his tenth successful trio into the basket to win 135:134. Scream of jubilation, closing time. Fear the beard.

The emotional victory against Golden State was the highlight of Harden's historic run for the time being. With his gala performances, he single-handedly led the Rockets, who had started the season weakly, back into the playoff ranks, from 14th place to fourth place - within three weeks.

If Harden even rudimentarily maintains his top form, he could become the twelfth player in NBA history to win the MVP Award for the Most Valuable Player twice in a row since 1955. The prospect of the trophy spurs Harden on, as he recently admitted to the sports magazine "Bleacher Report": "I definitely need it. And I'll get it."

Hardening alone is not enough for the title

It is less likely that the trophy of the NBA champion in Harden's collection will also make it: currently, the offensive play of the Rockets stands and falls with Harden's brilliance, he alone is currently able to constantly create throws for himself and others.

In the medium to long term, his co-star Paul will return. But his vulnerability to injury, like his shaky defensive, is one of the big problems currently being concealed by a Harden in over-form. Currently this system may work, but in a playoff series, when opponents can adjust to the rockets over four to seven games, it's too easy to calculate - despite a beard to fear.