Ultimate "James Harden Doesn't Play Defense" Video

THAT'S B.S.

 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/lc0ei_Odvvw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Sure. And perhaps it's a good thing for James, in the sense that it'll keep him competitively on edge at all times. But realistically, it's just not possible for him to "get it right" 100% of the time, if that's the standard. There are just too many damn possessions and too many sequences. Even LeBron James has one of those every few games. People just know better than to blow any one play out of proportion, unless it's the last minute of a game or something like that.

With Harden, they're not going to leave him alone unless the Rockets win a ring. And perhaps that's a good thing for the development of his game. But from a basketball media or fan standpoint, it's more than a little silly. That play today, presented without any context, is the equivalent of showing one successful Ryan Bowen drive to the bucket and presenting him as the second coming of Dirk Nowitzki.

 

Absurd criticism doesn't motivate people to improve, it motivates them to stop listening.

 

The leading scorer, best player, and team captain of Team USA constantly getting ridiculed by the media for having a defensive lapse about once a game.

Seems fair.

 

I am so surprised that Harden didn't have his own FIBA thread in Clutchfans.
All news about Harden comes from a thread called "James Harden Doesn't Play Defense". LOL....

 

Trust me i'm totally with you... Not disagreeing at all...

Only he can start changing that perception...

T_Man

 

lol

Harden was excellent and any watching the games would see why.

 

No, because even if he does it right they will focus solely on the 1 mistake he makes and ignore the rest.

He's played pretty decent defense for his standards during the World Cup, but has the narrative changed to "James Harden improving defensively" or anything similar? Nope, it's the same stories highlighting defensive lapses.

 

And the reason Harden was "out of position" is because Gay randomly picked up Harden's man instead of picking up his own man.

It looked like Harden though Gay was trying to steal a pass in the passing lane real quick and then he was going to get back on his own man.

But Gay stuck with Harden's man for some reason and Harden was then left in no-man's land since he didn't go pick up Gay's man.

Gay messed that possession up.

 

Nevermind. I got the numbers confused. It looked like Harden just lost his man lol.

 

Most steals in this USA TEAM. AND PEOPLE SAID Harden defense suck???

 

The only perceptions that impact games are the refs

If nba players were concerned with what the twitterverse was saying, they'd all be nervous wrecks.

 

Harden defense do suck!



"If J.J. Watt can play offense, then James Harden should definitely be able to play some defense."

Get 'em local media! :grin:

 

This season is going to be insufferable because of this youtube.

Not saying that he's a good defender but since that video went viral every defensive lapse from the beard is going to get pointed out.

 

Sports writers are the worst. They're all fans of the game but weren't good enough to play themselves so they place enormous value on playing the game THE RIGHT WAY and giving "110 percent" all the time. If I had his talent my DESIRE would have made me the GOATest.

 

What was this supposed to prove? That he didn't play good defense or that he played good defense. I'm so confused, somebody tell a joke.

 

Terrible

 

THIS is the most ridiculous video I have ever seen.
If you think steals are also bad defense, I can't see what good defense would look like.

 

• Harden had a Defensive Rating of 83.9. That is excellent. It makes him 11th overall.
  
• Harden is in the top 5 of FIBA in Defensive Win Shares %.
  
• Harden is the only player of FIBA to be in the top 5 of Defensive Win Shares % (5th) and Offensive Win Shares % (3rd).
  
• Harden was 2nd overall in FIBA in steals.
  
• Harden was top 10 in assists overall in FIBA, 2nd overall on team USA (Irving had 3 more assists).
  
• Harden was top 5 in scoring overall in FIBA and top scorer on team USA.

In Summary, Harden played excellent D, and was a dominant scorer, ball thief, and playmaker.
Reference: Real GM Advanced Stats

/drops mic>