Harden is a supertalented driver and a fantasic shooter as well.
The problem is that we live in this curious time where flailing your arms and yanking your head back in an attempt to deceive the officials is not only not technical foul, but it is actually rewarded. It's
embarrassing for him, for the Rockets, and the league. It works, but it's kind of a
sell your soul to win sort of thing (e.g. Chris Paul), and the
Rockets aren't even winning any more.
A second problem is that even though he has demonstrated the ability to play
defense when he wants to, the truth is that he never does - it's ridiculously bad. Presumably, it's because he puts in so much effort on the offensive end, but it's definitely
another embarrassing aspect to his play.
Finally, he doesn't seem to be able to integrate himself into offensive schemes.
It's him 1-1 or he's not helping much. Dwight was up front about this when Parsons left: "James and I will handle the offense (we don't need Parsons or the rest of the team)".
Players who don't play defense, don't integrate into the offense, and incessantly flail are
not great leaders, either.
It would be interesting to see him play for a team in which he wasn't the 1st and maybe only banana. He's not joining the blazers or the celtics, but if he did, I'd like to think he'd be cured of many of these deficiencies, and he'd be recognized for the great player he is.
Until then, I and many NBA fans reflectively give a bitter beer fan when thinking about Harden.
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That all being said (and OT btw),
I think you're right!!! The zillion GS illegal picks, the headcaseness of Draymon, the disrespect and even disdain shown by Klay, the I-won-COY-when-coaching<half-season-even-though-no-player-would-win-MVP-for-playing-half-a-season Kerr, and the media suckling their jock straps will definitely have basically everyone here boiling mad by the end of the second game.
Stat padding...Harden is more of a winner than Dame Lillard and he's now a stat padder. This isn't an insult to Dame but it's just the fact. Harden has been on more successful teams.
Anyone could get into the league and do what Harden does? I bet you won't find a single NBA player or coach that thinks that. I'm the biased one though right? What Harden does is so easy to do that every player can do it right?
Harden's skills on the court are equal to any Joe Schmoe. I guarantee you, you would not find any Rocket fan saying that about Dame or any other player of his caliber. But I'm the biased one. What's funny is defenders have tremendous respect for Harden's ability and will say he's the hardest guy to guard. Coaches teach that you put your hands up on Harden because he drives in awkwardly and holds the ball out in front of him. It works and he gets fouls sometimes and sometimes he turns it over. It's one of the reasons he has so many turnovers because of this technique, his arms are out there to be swiped at.
I don't think you got the point I was making and this is a strawman, I never said the Rockets played pretty basketball. I'm actually incredibly fair towards my team. Just because I don't think Harden is a bum and any Joe Schmoe could do what he does doesn't make me a homer.
The Warriors brand of basketball is phasing out traditional centers. The heavy reliance on the three point ball as well. Again, I don't think the game was designed to be played this way. Also, you think I'm the only one that thinks this?
"I still hate it," Popovich said. "I'll never embrace it. I don't think it's basketball. I think it's kind of like a circus sort of thing. Why don't we have a 5-point shot? A 7-point shot? You know, where does it stop, that sort of thing. But that's just me, that's just old-school. To a certain degree, you better embrace it or you're going to lose. And every time we've won a championship, the 3-point shot was a big part of it. Because it is so powerful and you've gotta be able to do it. And nobody does it better than Golden State, and you know where they're at. So it's important. You can't ignore it."
So yeah. Do I agree with Greg Popovich or yuyuza1? Maybe Popovic is just a biased Rocket fan too or something.
Damian Lillard is such an amazing defensive player too right?
Aesthetically pleasing? That counts for something? Would you take a prime Blake Griffin over Duncan? All Harden does is flop and flail? He does not have a step back, a euro step, handles, play-making ability. All he does is flop? Is that your final analysis on his game? Does anyone have any stats that would prove that most of Harden's trips to the lines aren't actual fouls btw?