We've been over this. There is an absurd 4-5% point gap in league average ts% and even a larger gap in league average efg% between Kobe's prime era and Harden's prime era. Kobe has above league average scoring efficiency in the playoffs and Harden has average league average scoring efficiency in the playoffs (below average if you look at efg%). Kobe also burned more calories on the defensive end in a playoff game than Harden and sprinted more on fast breaks. And I'm not just referring to post ups and mid range shot attempts in terms of varied offense. Kobe ran off ball plenty and ran off curls and catched and shot from all over the court. This made him more difficult and less predictable to guard in the playoffs. Also please don't compare Harden's dunking/finishing around the rim with Kobe's ability.
Harden has been shafted for MVP a total of 3 times after last year, would not blame him for being frustrated. You can only be gracious so many times before feeling pissed, it's the competitor in all of us and I'm sure that's especially true for professional athletes. Giannis has been acting petty towards Harden for a while, I don't think you can deny that. Harden shut down team Giannis when they went to attack him, so it was a poorly thought-out strategy on his (or his team's) part. Also it's mettle, not metal
He was shafted once against Westbrook. Giannis had a very strong case with the much better record and elite defense along with elite offense and Curry deserved it with the more efficient offense and much better record.
The only reason Giannis won it last year because of his teammates and his coach. Oh, because he's loved by the media and casual fans out there. Not sure why he is when he has such a horrible and boring style to watch. Harden broke records all over the place. Wasn't his fault CP3, Gordon and Capela missed a combined total of like 45 games. Otherwise the Rockets would have came 1st.
Harden never slandered Giannis game ever. He called out the media for creating narratives that influence mvp voting (which can't be disputed at this point), but he never said anything negative about Giannis game.
When you say it takes a narrative for Gainnis to win, yes that is dissing his "game" or his MVP level season. Gainnis also played elite levels on both sides of the court.
In 14-15 Harden carried an injured Rockets team to 57 wins and the second spot in the West. He was much more valuable to his team than any other player that year. Curry had great injury luck that year and the Warriors were a juggernaut and took the league by storm...but Harden deserved that trophy. Last year our record wasn't great, but again, Harden pulled an injured team to a pretty good seed in a ultra-competitive year. I won't argue this one as much, as Giannis was also everything to his team. I will insist that Harden most definitely was more worthy than Curry in 14-15, though.
Curry didn't deserve his first MVP. His second was very well deserved. If Harden didn't have the name James Harden, his numbers and team performance would have been plenty for MVP over Curry. People just hate Houston for some reason... kind of? Like? You..
Insecure player needs to passively agressive sht on his competitor to secure second mvp. Hate to see it. Props to harden for not responding to petty slander
It was 56 wins and the gap in wins was huge. It was a 10 game lead and Curry scored more efficiently but played significantly less minutes due to the massive pt differentials the Warriors would rack up by the end of the third quarter.
Well then explain your reasoning. Again, saying that someone needs a narrative to win is precisely saying they didn't deserve it.
I'm not. Kobe east a far more creative and explosive finisher. He also has more speed on fastbreaks. If there is an advantage Harden has its theatrics with the head snap back and arm flail to get to the line.
I understand that the MVP is usually given to the player with the better record, but there have been many, many times in which an exception has been made for, well, exceptional performances. In my opinion, Harden's 14-15 year was one of them.
At first in that TNT clip, the Greek implying jh luv dribbling more than passing, and then in this interview he dissing jh's D. Great players like black mama and the air got huge ego, never feel shy to prove others are wrong. Its a opportunity for jh to let the freak eat crow in the coming matchup in April or even final. The other is your mirror, not your enemy.
