It was a series that ended in 6. It really wasn’t that close. It doesn’t matter if you lose by 1 or 30. Losings losing but you keep holding on to that every game was “close and decided by 6 or less” If it makes you ‘believe’.
What are you defining as a consequential play? I gave you numbers for the final two minutes of regulation when the score is within 5 points. That isn't consequential? The article you posted mentions Harden's "indifference to defense". So right off the bat, the author is either uninformed or has an agenda. Leonard has more consequential plays in this playoffs that Harden does in his career? Ridiculous. Leonard is killing people in isolation ? Exageration. I just showed that he's only scoring 5 pts/game in iso. Leonard wasn't good down the stretch in close games against the Bucks. Here's his numbers: Last 2 minutes of regulation and score within 5: Fg% : 0% took 5 shots and missed them all 3pt% : 0% no makes Points : 1.8 pts/game TS% : 41.1% Last 5 minutes of regulation and score within 5: FG%: 18.2% 3pt%: 25% Points: 3.5 TS%: 45.5 What there indicates that Leonard was anything other than bad in the clutch vs the Bucks? Leonard is a great player, but he's not a go to guy if you need a hoop.
In the clutch in the playoffs: Harden had a -24.9 Net Rating. 103.2 offensive rating and 128.1 defensive rating Kawhi had a -0.4 net rating. Only 102.6 on offense and and 102.9 on defense. So neither has been really good by that metric. Overall playoffs: Harden had a 31.6 ppg on .567 TS%, 6.6 assists, 4.6 turnovers, 111 ORTG. Big drop from regular season. Kawhi has had 31.2 ppg on .623 TS%, 3.8 assists and 3.1 turnovers, 118 ORTG. About even to his regular season plus also good defense in helping shut down Giannis.
What? It was close, look at how close every game was. We lost cause they were better obviously, but tweaks here and there would put us above them, if that trade had gone through with Memphis we prolly would have won, I really dont know what your point is.
Kawhi has also had a much better team around him this season as well. Yea Kawhi has performed great this season, but Id really like to know what agenda it is you have against Harden. You dont seem to respect him much as a player at all, and you even wanted to trade him for AD or Lebron.
idk i can't say he was bad in game 3 of that double ot game. especially at the end sealing the W for the raps with 8 of the final 12 points. also game 6, he put the the bucks up 5 with his 3 ptr which was the final one of the night and sinking his free throws and the offensive board. and its well documented how he did on defense vs giannis. You can generalize but you can't say leonard didnt play a number of plays to get the rap's wins here. He absolutely did
I'm just posting what I see. IMO Harden was much better in 2015 when he played at a faster pace and attacked the rim more. I wish he would go back to that. This slow, minimal movement stuff sucks.
Except he wasnt, all his numbers better. All his numbers were trending upward. There is no way you could believe that Harden is worse right now, most numbers would disagree with you. Also not that this is relavent, I dont think Kawhi is better than Harden haha, just wanted to say it.
Disagree about Harden's numbers getting better. His usage is getting higher, so he's scoring more points, but his plus/minus and on/off stuff isn't really better. Also, 2015 was Harden's best playoff run: 27.2 PPG, .620 TS%, 7.5 assists, 4.5 turnovers, 117 ORTG
He’s attacked the rim more and done it more successfully each and every year. Drive stats became available in 13/14 13/14 Regular season 10.5 per game (22nd overall) 5.7 pts, 44.5% shooting, 2.8 fta, 1.4 assist, 0.8 turnovers 14/15 Regular season 13.9 per game(7th overall) 8.3 pts, 48.0% shooting, 3.8fta, 1.6 assist, 1.0 turnovers 15/16 Regular season 14.5 per game(10th overall) 8.3 pts, 48.6% shooting, 3.4 fta, 1.5 assist, 1.3 turnovers 16/17 Regular season 17.1 per game(3rd overall) 8.4 pts, 50.8% shooting, 2.8 fta, 2.4 assist, 1.3 turnovers 17/18 Regular season 17.1 per game(2nd overall) 11.5 pts, 52.7% shooting, 3.8 fta, 2.1 assist, 1.1 turnovers 18/19 Regular season 19.6 per game(1st overall) 14.0 pts, 52.8% shooting, 4.3 fta, 2.2 assist, 1.5 turnovers
% of his shots that were at the rim: 2013: 31% 2014: 27% 2015: 31% 2016: 25% 2017: 24% 2018: 27% 2019: 23.5%
His teammates have gotten better as well so thats probably why. We actually have competent players to put around him at least. Hes also never had that step back three before which has become a big weapon for him and its a big part of why hes posted one of the best offensive seasons of all time. Dont tell me has hassnt gotten better. Against way WEAKER competition. The NBA has gotten ALOT better than 2015. All the teams weve face in the last 3 years dwarf the competition then.
All that really shows is what we already know. He’s shooting way more 3s. But it hasn’t been a trade off. Increased 3s AND drives.
S So what though? its still more drives and hes still putting his body through more contact than he was in consecutive seasons?
But he's playing slower with minimal movement and not finishing at the rim as much. That's what I want him to get back to.
He's not shooting and finishing at the rim as much though. He's a good 3pt shooter, but become too reliant on it. He shoots 36% in the regular season then it drops off in the playoffs. At least he got to 35% in the playoffs this year. Last 3 years he was: 31%, 28%,30%. He's better at finishing near the hoop than shooting from 3. He's elite at the rim but just above average from 3.
Offensively, hes fine the way he is, the numbers back that up, even the series where we lost backed that up. I hope he does add more movement to make him even more dangerous than he already he is, but him not moving much didnt really hurt us this year. What? Harden takes what the defense gives him hes not that kind of player. Teams dont want Harden driving to the rim like that. You think in the GS seires with Clint on the floor there was that much room for driving or with Gobert in the paint. No, there wsa not.
To @jordnnnn @Mr. Clutch and @HP3 , You're all making great arguments and what you're posting is great stuff that makes this site so valuable to us. Keep it up. The respect you're showing for each other while arguing is commendable. There have been many years where this site was doing what y'all are doing in this thread. Thank you for the reminder of how great this site can be. -Don p.s. @BigBum and all his troll duplicates suck
Not in the playoffs though. The Warriors series he was better but not in game 6. Not in game 5 after Durant went out. As a whole the offense performed worse than in the regular season. 116 ORTG for regular season, 114 vs warriors and 111 for playoffs. You might say "that's not that bad" but not that bad isn't good enough for a chip.
I’m not finding ANYTHING statistically that confirms that he is shooting less shots per game at the basket. I’m also not finding anything that says he isn’t finishing at the rim as much. I mean I presented the info for you. Shot attempts, field goal percentage, free throw attempts and assists almost all steadily have increased every year of his Houston tenure. Also factor in that he is not a robot. Getting to the rim expends a lot of energy. At some point there is a limit. If there were other guys out there completely blowing away his number of drive attempts I think you would have a real gripe. Buts it’s basically him and Westbrook who rule the league at getting to the basket.
