People don't hate Harden because he gets fouled... they hate him because he's LOOKING for the foul without necessarily even trying to score. Scoring is secondary... he's looking for the foul first. And then he flails his arms and throws his head back to exaggerate contact (even though he really does get fouled), and so fans of other teams think he's flopping and getting cheap calls. So I can for sure see why people hate on him and why he doesn't get more respect in the league. That's why everybody had so much fun with that defense video, because they could make fun of something that he wasn't good at and found a reason to justify their hate and could logically move him down their player rankings. Harden was reluctantly called the best SG in the league... then people saw that video and the narrative changed to he sucks at defense and so people were quick to find somebody to replace him as the "best SG". So people were quick to jump onto the Klay Thompson bandwagon and over-hype him to knock Harden from that spot.
When are people going to realize that drawing fouls is a skill. He's not flopping or "flailing" as people like to claim. If you're defending harden and you get even slightly out of position with you arms, he takes advantage of it by making you hit him. That's good, smart basketball! Another pretty major reason he gets fouled so much is the fact that basically nobody can stay in front of him. That's the same reason guys like Lebron, KD, Westbrook, Kobe, and Rose (before he was a p***y), and countless other superstars get to the line. Because they are all to good to gaurd without fouling. Saying "I don't enjoy watching him, but he's still good" is just a backhanded way of saying "I don't like Houston, but I have to act like a journalist so I'll make up a subtle opinion of them"
This Opponents foul him because they have no other choice. It's either he scores or they foul him and have him earn it from the line. Opposing fans should be mad at their teams players for fouling
Let's be real here! If Harden played for SanAntonio he'd be considered a genius for the way he finds ways to score. He plays for a team that, for some reason, people don't like... So they make up things to hate on him for.
I'm a huge Rockets fan and I hate watching Harden do that. It's ok when I feel like he is still trying to score but it is maddening when he does it with no intention of trying to make the shot. That keeps blowing up in his face in the playoffs so I really hope he cuts it down in the post season this year.
You realize trying to get to the line IS trying to score! In fact, it's trying to score a with a clock stopped... The only time it "blows up in his face" is when he's defended really well or doesn't get the call. How is that different than any other way to score?
Well, people hate Houston because it's push-back for all the love they got two years ago. The media was calling them an exciting young team with a really bright future. They were a fast-paced, exciting young team. They got a lot of love. Morey was credited with being a genius. Then the fans and maybe even the organization seemed like their heads were getting big. People were saying Houston was 1 piece from being a real contender. Then they sign Dwight and now the bragging really started. Talk of championship started. People were threatened by a new legitimate contender on the block. Plus, Dwight is a villain. So then the real push-back started to put this Houston team who has accomplished nothing in check. Then they lose in the first round and then the media has a field day. The young, arrogant Houston Rockets with unlikeable stars was put in it's place.
Haters gonna hate They hate our team because we shoot too many 3s and are winning because of it. They hate our team because our best player gets calls and we're winning because of it. They hate our team because our center isn't serious enough for them and we're winning games with him. Let them hate
lol I have found that most fans don't understand the importance of getting fouls. Yes he is scoring with the clock stopped (and the players getting their wind back) but now that top notch defender is now going to have to sit on the bench and a possible scrub is going to defend. That doesn't only help Harden but his team mates too. Howard also draws a lot of fouls and the effect of the two of them drawing so many fouls is a huge reason that we can win games. The refs don't like to call too many fouls in the playoffs because it does affect the game so much but attempts need to be made to do so. We are lucky to have two of the top players to draw fouls on the same team and it is rare to have this. Also Canaan is showing the ability to do so and I am hoping that Papa starts working on doing it more. Most fans are not sophisticated enough to understand aspects that are not flashy. If they did they would understand that us having a top defense is what is going to win in the playoffs.
How many more times does it have to be pointed out that star players free throw rates almost always go up or at the very least stay the same in the playoffs compared to the regular season? This includes Harden. In his 5 years of making the playoffs he's only had 1 year(last year)where his free throw rate plummeted in the playoffs. The other 4 years it went up or was just about the same. I do agree with your last point though. He does get passive when he isn't getting the calls he normally gets. It doesn't happen often, but when the whistle does stop and his shot is off he can look pretty terrible.
Yep, they should be saying "I don't like the rules of basketball," not "I don't like Harden's getting fouls." I bet if the NBA made you get penalized for getting fouled it would totally change Harden's game and those podcast dudes would enjoy his game. Time to change the rules?
Dozens of people lost their jobs in the nba as an almost direct result of the Harden/Howard thing, GMs changed, teams that try to control their spending (like the small markets) were taking money out of old fashioned scouting for increased stats departments, teams were shifting who they listened to, almost every ex coach working for ESPN has lost his job either directly or indirectly due to Morey (lol), Collins and his long 2 offense? Moreyed! Karl? Welcome to the new age, Moreyed!, JVG? well that was directly fired, before that Hollins and his anti stats? Moreyed! And the ex players? They really hate that their "years of experience" is being considered secondary by basically every team in the league to an army of nerds. Kirk Goldsberry might be the only guy in all of media whose job has expanded due to Morey.
George Karl's firing has little to do with Morey. I don't see how Karl's principles clash or even differ much from how Morey runs things. At their peak, the Nuggets played fast, got to the rim and shot 3s. The Denver thing seems to be an internal clash of egos.
One thing that is rarely talked about when getting to the line is defense. When you are shooting free throws, you will most likely be in your defensive positions as oppose to getting back after a missed 3 ptr. Getting to the line is an integral part of basketball and should not be down played.
Rockets are starting to play their offense with more pace, drive into the paint more, and get open shots from ball movement. To say that we rely on 3pters only is half-correct. It's what kind of 3pt looks we are generating that is fueling our good percentage. We are also seeing DMo develop as a legit post-threat if opponents stymie Howard. Yes, let's stay unscouted. Opponents will continue to underestimate us like MEM did, and we can blow them out of the water. Lazy journalists ... how can they say they cover the NBA when they don't watch all the league-leaders?
The thing about harden drawing fouls is that he doesn't get those same calls in the playoffs, which in turn messes up his whole game.
