OT: harden or melo

[HailBlazers]

Which would you take if you had to pick one? All this talk of the scoring title with Durant and Carmelo, personally I'd take Harden. Much more well rounded game.

 

[magnifier661]

Harden cause he is a better character

 

[BigGameDamian]

Melo and Kobe are the best one on one scorers in the game hands down.

 

[magnifier661]

Melo and Kobe are the best one on one scorers in the game hands down.

Iso ball sucks. If their game is off; you beat them

 

[KingSpeed]

Iso ball sucks. If their game is off; you beat them

I liked it when we Isod Roy and won games and made the playoffs.

 

[BrianFromWA]

I liked it until that's all we did in the playoffs and didn't win anymore.

And asking me to pick Melo for my team is almost like asking me to pick KG. Almost.

 

[Haakzilla]

...Melo, and its not even close!

 

[Denny Crane]

I voted Melo, but if it were a question of building for the longer term, it'd clearly be Harden.

Melo is just so strong and a great scorer.

Also, why not ask about Durant in the question?

Or Westbrook

 

[huevonkiller]

Harden is superior because he requires significantly less usage yet puts up similar production.

Defensively they could both be better.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

If we're picking them at the same stages in their careers, then I take Paul Pierce over either of them.
If not, then you take Harden, not least because he's younger. It would be nice to be on the right side of all those bogus calls he gets.

 

[HailBlazers]

I voted Melo, but if it were a question of building for the longer term, it'd clearly be Harden.

Melo is just so strong and a great scorer.

Also, why not ask about Durant in the question?

Or Westbrook

Because Durant is the obvious best, and Westbrook the worst.

Harden is superior because he requires significantly less usage yet puts up similar production.

Bingo.

 

[zonasotahomer]

Harden

 

[Haakzilla]

...Melo, and its not even close!

...and that's exactly why I said it is not even close! Harden chokes in the biggest games -- been that way his whole life!

 

[OregonHuskerMan]

HARDEN.

EASY.

 

[NOVoodoo]

...and that's exactly why I said it is not even close! Harden chokes in the biggest games -- been that way his whole life!

I remember Kenny Smith saying something about "Linsanity" along the lines of (paraphrasing here): 'If you're talented enough to be in the NBA, you can put up numbers. If you gave most players in the NBA that amount of minutes, touches, and plays, they'll put up big numbers.'

I'm not saying that Harden's not a great player, but I do think he'll be figured out in time. He torched my Grizz one of the first times around this season, but in the last game we played them this season, he put up numbers, but we figured him out to the point that his numbers didn't really equate to any sort of realistic impact... they were very hallow stats.

He jumps into a lot of contact, so just play him straight up and from a little distance. That way, when he ducks his head and barrels into the paint with no actual chance of scoring, he won't get on the line, like he did more than anyone in this season (#1 in the NBA with 10.2 FTA... also #1 in the playoffs with 14.0 FTA).

 

[KingSpeed]

Melo, all day everyday.

 

[KingSpeed]

I remember Kenny Smith saying something about "Linsanity" along the lines of (paraphrasing here): 'If you're talented enough to be in the NBA, you can put up numbers. If you gave most players in the NBA that amount of minutes, touches, and plays, they'll put up big numbers.'

I'm not saying that Harden's not a great player, but I do think he'll be figured out in time. He torched my Grizz one of the first times around this season, but in the last game we played them this season, he put up numbers, but we figured him out to the point that his numbers didn't really equate to any sort of realistic impact... they were very hallow stats.

He jumps into a lot of contact, so just play him straight up and from a little distance. That way, when he ducks his head and barrels into the paint with no actual chance of scoring, he won't get on the line, like he did more than anyone in this season (#1 in the NBA with 10.2 FTA... also #1 in the playoffs with 14.0 FTA).

Yes. All he does is barrel into the paint, let go of the ball, throw his arms up, and wait for the call. The refs aren't falling for that anymore so he is common. 15 points and 10 turnovers tonight. Missed big shots and missed the big FTs in Game 3. Also, he tanked in the NBA Finals. This is not a great player. He is not even close to Melo's level. Melo can score from everywhere on the court.

 

[Haakzilla]

Melo can score from everywhere on the court.

...and he is known as "CLUTCH"!

 

[magnifier661]

Let's out it this way. Denver never made it out the first round without melo leading them. Harden may get there, but right now; melo is clutch.

 

[Denny Crane]

Let's out it this way. Denver never made it out the first round without melo leading them. Harden may get there, but right now; melo is clutch.

You have it wrong. It's Raymond Felton who's clutch.

 

[magnifier661]

You have it wrong. It's Raymond Felton who's clutch.

When has Felton lead his team out of the first round? Remember he made the playoffs in Denver and they lost in the first round too.

 

[Denny Crane]

When has Felton lead his team out of the first round? Remember he made the playoffs in Denver and they lost in the first round too.

2013.

 

[magnifier661]

2013.

Melo leads that team. Sorry

 

[Denny Crane]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/celts-top-knicks-97-90-ot-avoid-playoff-202308358.html

Boston held a 65-51 lead when Anthony went to the bench with 3:35 remaining. The Knicks outscored the Celtics 14-3 the rest of the way behind 11 points from Felton and a 3-pointer from Iman Shumpert. Felton finished with 16 points in the quarter.

''He was huge in this game for us,'' Kenyon Martin said. ''Especially missing J.R., we needed someone else to make shots for us and he did that.''

 

[huevonkiller]

Yes. All he does is barrel into the paint, let go of the ball, throw his arms up, and wait for the call. The refs aren't falling for that anymore so he is common. 15 points and 10 turnovers tonight. Missed big shots and missed the big FTs in Game 3. Also, he tanked in the NBA Finals. This is not a great player. He is not even close to Melo's level. Melo can score from everywhere on the court.

Melo is a very inefficient scorer, Harden is 23 and already playing above Melo's prime season.

Neither are having good postseasons so far, Harden was efficient last postseason though. Harden will probably have the better career.

 

[magnifier661]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/celts-top-knicks-97-90-ot-avoid-playoff-202308358.html

Boston held a 65-51 lead when Anthony went to the bench with 3:35 remaining. The Knicks outscored the Celtics 14-3 the rest of the way behind 11 points from Felton and a 3-pointer from Iman Shumpert. Felton finished with 16 points in the quarter.

''He was huge in this game for us,'' Kenyon Martin said. ''Especially missing J.R., we needed someone else to make shots for us and he did that.''

So?! Remember a kid named Ronald Murray in Seattle years back? He lead his team in scoring for a good 10 game stretch but the team was still not his.

Just because a player has a 1-10 game stretch of greatness doesn't mean shit. Look at win share and see who is better? Melo or Felton?

 

[magnifier661]

Melo is a very inefficient scorer, Harden is 23 and already playing above Melo's prime season.

Neither are having good postseasons so far, Harden was efficient last postseason though. Harden will probably have the better career.

You sure about that?

http://m.bkref.com/m?p=XXplayersXXaXXanthoca01.html&t=2-- melo at 23

http://m.bkref.com/m?p=XXplayersXXhXXhardeja01.html. --- harden at 23

Melo shot better, had more rebounds and scored more efficiently. Also melo had a better win share too

 

[huevonkiller]

You sure about that?

http://m.bkref.com/m?p=XXplayersXXaXXanthoca01.html&t=2-- melo at 23

http://m.bkref.com/m?p=XXplayersXXhXXhardeja01.html. --- harden at 23

Melo shot better, had more rebounds and scored more efficiently. Also melo had a better win share too

I notice you're using the "mobile" version of basketball-reference. Let me point to you now, to the desktop version which shows actual advanced metrics:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hardeja01.html
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/anthoca01.html

No, Melo doesn't have a better WS/48 or more win shares in one season. I'll combine win shares in the post-season and regular season to help your case, it still doesn't do much.

 

[magnifier661]

I notice you're using the "mobile" version of basketball-reference. Let me point to you now, to the desktop version which shows actual advanced metrics:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hardeja01.html
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/anthoca01.html

No, Melo doesn't have a better WS/48 or more win shares in one season. I'll combine win shares in the post-season and regular season to help your case, it still doesn't do much.

Cool thanks for the link man!

 

[Rastapopoulos]

My first thought is Harden. But then I think: imagine Melo going up against Durant. I'd think of it as a titanic clash. But Harden against Durant, not so much.

Harden is more well-rounded, but Melo is more of a star. I used to think Melo was one-dimensional, but he's really impressed me this season. If it was a choice for my team, though, I'd take Harden because he's younger.