True that point is indisputable. a few break out games in the playoffs could strike fear in the rest of the league. The only concern about our shooting is some possessions a guy needs to dribble the ball to catch his rhythm but the play may not allow from that so even though a player is wide open without his rhythm the shot is a gamble. That's the part that is so frustrating is the shots are absolutely there every game and the defense cant stop it
You hit the nail on the head. Harden is seen by many as a regular season wonder but a playoff question mark. He has had some memorably bad playoff games. And typically he has one big game per series. I don't think anyone would argue that he dominates in the playoffs. There are several reasons for this. The game slows down. The refs call the playoffs differently, etc. His "game" doesn't translate well into the new atmosphere. Not sure that is going to change. I think in the playoffs he should isolate less and swing the ball more.
You could say the same thing about Hakeem and MJ. Here is the thing, if you are really good at making a type of shot (regardless of whether it is bad for other players to make), it is no longer a bad shot selection. The baseline fade from Hakeem and the super fadeaway by MJ were both terrible shots for any other player, just like the step back ISO three is for Harden.
no question, I wish he could play without the ball and use baseline back cuts to pressure the defense a different way. Plus he is more dangerous on a baseline cut because he is behind the defense that makes Capela or Faried a threat on lobs or a three point shooter on the weak side or at the top or he flat out just get the bucket
I can just imagine all the "We Should Have Appreciated Harden More" articles written when he eventually retires.
Harden is so good we might never get another player as good as him. Who would have thought when dream retired that we would have a guy come in and shatter a lot of his records? The stuff harden is doing might never be done again by any player no matter what team their on. If he could get 3 rings like curry or Lebron have he would be universally regarded as a top 10 player of alltime. Imo he’s already a top 25 player alltime. It’s not just the numbers. Harden is a winner. He’s just playing in an era that has maybe the best team off alltime while he’s going through his prime. Harden and Lebron are the only two players in the league during this GS run the last 5 years that have actually pushed them and won more than a game against them. And since GS got KD, harden and the rockets are the only team to actually beat them on a consistent basis. I know it’s not a really an achievement to do that without atleast 1 ring to back it up but it’s very impressive when the rest of the nba can’t even get more than 1 game against that team and harden has a winning record against them since KD arrived in the Bay Area.
I am already getting anxiety about who the replacement for harden will be 5-10 years from now. Still amazed we have two of the top players in the nba on our team right now. CURRENT TOP TIER PLAYERS James Harden HOUSTON ROCKETS SG Chris Paul HOUSTON ROCKETS PG LeBron James LOS ANGELES LAKERS SF Kevin Durant GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS SF Stephen Curry GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS PG Anthony Davis NEW ORLEANS PELICANS PF Kawhi Leonard TORONTO RAPTORS SF Giannis Antetokounmpo MILWAUKEE BUCKS PF Russell Westbrook OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER PG Paul George OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER SF Joel Embiid PHILADELPHIA 76ERS C Kyrie Irving BOSTON CELTICS PG Jimmy Butler SIXERS SG Damian Lillard PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS PG MID TIER Klay Thompson GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS SG Karl-Anthony Towns MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES C Victor Oladipo INDIANA PACERS SG Draymond Green GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS PF Ben Simmons PHILADELPHIA 76ERS PG Nikola Jokic DENVER NUGGETS C Al Horford BOSTON CELTICS C John WallWA SHINGTON WIZARDS PG Rudy Gobert UTAH JAZZ C Gordon Hayward BOSTON CELTICS SF DeMar DeRozanSAN ANTONIO SPURS SG Kristaps Porzingis DALLAS PF DeMarcus Cousins GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS C Donovan Mitchell UTAH JAZZ SG
Dude, on our own board! "I was miserable throughout the 2018-2019 season. But it's a great memory, kids!"
wow...that’s another thing that should be added to the list for why MVP shouldn’t even be a discussion What is so amazing about Harden is that he can increase his usage and shot attempts tremendously yet still maintain his career percentages and elite level efficiency. His TS%, field goal percentage, and 3 point percentage are pretty much identical to what he did last season even tho he’s increased his shot attempts by 4.4 a game, 3 point shot attempts by 3.5, and usage by 4.2%.
Harden is so gifted and one of the alltime greats. I still don’t know why fans and media won’t give him his due. The media are so scared to mention him on the same level as Lebron Steph and KD but are real quick to prop up Giannis as the best player in the league. Why don’t we let G win a playoff series first? I’m not even a hater he def could be the best player in the nba but to me all his Hype reminds me of the push for AD the last 3 years which has finally fallen off because he hasn’t gotten any team success in 7 years. Only an idiot would hate on G and say he’s not super talented and already great his numbers are awesome his team is awesome his coach is awesome. I keep hearing this narrative about harden and how the system helps him because of MDA. But this never gets mentioned about Steve Kerr with curry or coach bud with Giannis? It’s literally insane. Drives me crazy. What’s the reason the bucks are going to win 60+ games? Gs 2 more rebounds and 1 more assist this year? Or coach bud spreading the floor out for G with 4 out for G at all times and all the additions he made? Or the complete overhaul of the offensive and defensive philosophy? I’d like to see anyone in the nba take Hardens role have his pg miss 20 games have his center miss 15 and EG miss 10 playing with GLeague guys and buyout guys and win at a 55 win pace? Clearly Lebron can’t do it. kD clearly can’t because he struggles when Steph is out and all his has is Klay and green (what a lack of talent lol) those are universally seen as the two guys harden will never be better than because of this mythical stance that both this guys are so much better on D than harden? What a joke. I’ll give G being better than harden on D but not those other two knuckleheads.
