Are We Witnessing the Greatest Shooting Guard in Rockets History?

A wee bit early, but I believe by the end of this season, he will be.

 

Exactly. Hakeem was a game changer on the defensive end with his shot blocking. Unless Harden goes on a Jordan type of championship run with the Rockets it will always be Hakeem > Harden.

 

Don't jinx it! Thousand points of light, thousand points of light...

 

2 championships is when he is close to Hakeem. Until then he needs to stay hungry and keep getting better on both ends.

 

If you compare team record, Harden will win (barring a collapse). Rockets won 47 games in '95. They are at 41 now.

On offense, you could argue Harden is much better if you include assists and efficiency (given 3pt shooting).

Steals are = between both.

Harden's assists are much higher.

Dream's blocks are much higher.

One can't cherry pick stats to make the case. Body of work. For a single season, they are close.

 

Not gonna say anything till playoffs. Tmac had his fair share of moments 22 game win streak. 13 in 35. Few scoring titles. Harden will only be best if he can win in playoffs

 

Only if you discount half the game of basketball will Harden ever be close to Olajuwon.

 

Definitely he is the best Rockets SG ever.

I was wrong about Harden. He has shown me that he is truly elite this season.

His ability to create and get to the hole is probably the best of the shooting guards in the league. He is crafty and a great passer.

I hope he shows what he is capable of in the playoffs this season.

 

I look at the "Mount Rushmore" or Rockets players the 1st three are easy. Big E, Moses & Dream. The 3rd one is Drexler for me but I was very close to putting Rudy T in there and tomorrow I might change my mind. By the time James Harden's career with the Rockets is over he will surpass Drexler IMO on that list.

Having said that, he is currently #2 all time Rockets shooting guard IMO. He is the only Rockets shooting guard that has ever garnered serious NBA MVP consideration.

Looking at an even bigger picture, the "Mount Rushmore" of Shooting Guards in the NBA, IMO, is Jerry West, Michael Jordan, Clyde Drexler & Kobe Bryant. I absolutely think James Harden is on pace to move into that group if his current career arc remains consistent.

I am a huge Calvin Murphy fan but he was a HOF tweener. The only reason anyone ever considered him a PG was because of his size. I always looked at him as a Shooting Guard. Having said that, he was never the driving force on the Rockets. Even during those few years in the 70's when Houston didn't have a dominate big man, it was Rudy T making the All-Star games and not Calvin. I love Calvin, he was tough as nails and could score on anybody but he just wasn't in the same class as James Harden IMO.

What really sets James Harden apart from all of the other Shooting Guards on the team is that he is the clear cut face of the franchise and the clear cut number one player on the team. Even with TMac, Yao Ming was just as much the face for the franchise and many considered him the better player. Steve Frances is the only other Guard to ever play for Houston that was the clear cut number one player on the team and he is not in the same galaxy as James Harden.

Regardless of post season success this season, if James Harden wins the NBA MVP he moves ahead of Clyde Drexler as the best ever Shooting Guard for the Houston Rockets. Drexler would still be ahead of Harden as all time NBA shooting guards based on his time with Portland though.

 

Thank you. Wish we could enjoy this great season without comparing Harden to Hakeem. It's trivializes both of them, playing completely different positions with different offenses, different teams, and different eras.

I'm just enjoying this *amazing* Harden season, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the playoffs.

 

My post was not comparing Harden and Hakeem. I know that's not a very close comparison yet (although I think some of your are exaggerating the gap at least a little bit, and underrating James' defense this year in the process).

All I was saying is that at the rate James has been improving, and with how young he is, depending on where he takes us, he has a *chance* to surpass Hakeem. I don't know why that is so ridiculous to say.

 

Has Harden's D improved? Yes, but that's not difficult considering he had nowhere to go but up basically. That said, our team is still composed to hide Harden as he is still the weak link on D for our team. Hakeem ANCHORED the Houston D. One covers for a player, the other the player covers for the team. It is a HUGE gap. Harden only approaches Hakeem status on offense. Factor in D and we are looking at a chasm the size of the Grand Canyon.

 

You can't compare a guard from 2015 to a center from 1995. That's just crazy. Different eras, different positions???

Hakeem didn't shoot 3's but if he played today I bet he would be shooting them. Back then it was a different game. There was no defensive 3 seconds. If Harden played in Hakeem's era would he be able to get to the basket as easily with someone planted in the paint?

And Hakeem could not be stopped one on one. In fact double teams didn't often work on him. He got tripled teamed at time.

People talk about assists and all that, but they forget also that Hakeem got FAR LESS TOUCHES than Harden did. Harden touches the ball nearly every time down the court. Hakeem might have gotten touches half the time and that was only in the Rudy T era.

But let's get one thing straight. If you needed two points would you rather give it to Harden or give it to Hakeem? You can't go wrong either way.

But to say Harden is better than Hakeem is ridiculous. One has two championships, and MVP, is a hall of famer and regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

 

I will say this, I don't think anyone has ever had a more magical season for the Rockets since 1995.

 

Yea, I'm not comparing players or styles. I'm simply saying he's making a case for himself that puts him in the same conversation. If Dream is #1 and Harden is #3, who is #2? I'm suggesting Harden is not #3 on the all-time list.

Now, Harden just needs to finish this season strong, get some play-off wins and then do it for 5 more years ...then we can start comparing careers.

 

I can't say how grateful I am for having Harden on this team. Dude is such a stud.

 

Apples to apples people. Hakeem isn't the person to compare Harden to.

In the 70s, 80s, 90s, Centers were as valuable as Quarterbacks in today's NFL. Guards were like wide receivers--you could even let great ones go (like the Texans did to Andre Johnson).

The guys I'd like Harden to be compared to are DWade, Kobe, & Jordan.

Let's remember that Kobe at his peak couldn't take Lakers far--he needed the help of big men (Gasol & Shaq). DWade needed Shaq. Jordan is the exception, but he also had a talented team.

 

A certain 3 time NBA MVP who went to the finals as a rocket.