Thought it would be interesting to re-visit this thread: http://bbs.clutchfans.net/archive/index.php/t-246668.html James Harden was arguably the MVP this last season. Hakeem won the MVP award in 1994. One would think that James is starting to elevate himself to that stratosphere of Hakeem-calibre players. Obviously, the Dream affected the game much more on the defensive side, but I'd like to only discuss the OFFENSIVE side of the game. Do you think Harden can become better offensive player than Dream? Or maybe he already is?
An interesting excercise of determining who's a better offensive player: If you were to strip prime Hakeem of his defensive powers and give him Harden's defensive skills, would he still win the MVP, take Rockets to 2 championships?
The knee-jerk response would be Harden, but that doesn't consider degree of difficulty and pressure. Harden struggled against the Heat in the Finals and against Portland in 2014 and against the Clippers/Warriors (for some games) in 2015. In the playoffs, teams play life-depends-on-it D. Hakeem still dominated when his best was needed. People just don't know how good the Knicks were in 1994 with 1994 NBA defensive rules. That was a slug-fest--pure will. Harden will always have good regular seasons. How will he fare against ratcheted-up D in the playoffs? It's easy to have great games 1,2,3 but how about games 5,6,7? Most players get tired. That was T-mac's problem. That is also Harden's problem. Even Lebron got tired in the Finals (2015). Hakeem had no drop off on offense as series got longer.
Harden hasn't even gotten to Moses Malone level and Malone won two MVP's while wearing rocket red. You must have never actually watched Hakeem play. Harden is a great player for today's NBA, worthy of an MVP. Put the offense of the dream in today's NBA, Curry would have to go cry in his locker because only one person could ever stop the dream and that was himself. He played in the greatest era of big men and he was better than all of them. If you put Harden in the era of prime Hakeem, he wouldn't have made it two seasons before he was injured and out of the league because they gave no mercy to someone trying to drive to the basket. Go look up Detroit Pistons Bad Boys on youtube and you will understand why we have the rules for guards that we have today.
Can't compare since there is a premium for gifted big men. There are 3-4 other wings in the NBA right now that can produce at a similar level as harden. There isn't another center in the league that is even close to Dream.
David Robinson was just a few years removed from being DPOY and was the current MVP and in his prime when Dream absolutely destroyed him in the playoffs. There isn't a wing player in the league that is the defensive force Robinson was at the time Dream dismantled him but if Harden can average 40+ ppg against Kawhi Leonard in a playoff series we can begin the Dream vs Harden discussion.
This is the dumbest **** Ive ever seen. Show me one person who locked down Hakeem on defense any night. Mind you, this man dominated in an era with TRUE BIG MEN. Now think of how many times Harden has been locked down this past year alone by some players.
I have to agree with the consensus - I can't have this discussion until Harden makes the finals with the Rockets.
I don't think it's as absurd of a question as some will make it out to be, but yeah, it's Hakeem until further notice.
Hakeem is the man and is the best offensive big I ever saw but some of you are acting like Hakeem didn't get bounced in the 1st round like 5 years straight. C'mon guys use some common sense, harden is a stud and he's struggled at times in the playoffs, as did Hakeem, Jordan, bird, Lebron and the list goes on. If you guys think Hakeem never got outplayed in any series or even playoff games your very very wrong.