1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

James Harden or Clyde Drexler in his prime?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by tinman, Dec 18, 2014.

?

Real Comparison: Harden or Drexler?

  1. Harden

    161 vote(s)
    64.1%
  2. Drexler

    90 vote(s)
    35.9%
  1. Caesar

    Caesar Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2014
    Messages:
    6,229
    Likes Received:
    6,246
    Much respect to Harden for the season he's had. I guess i'm now known as the Harden hater these days , but i don't hate him. He's an all timer. Hope he sticks around and doesn't get the itch for brighter lights back home in LA if we lose in the 2nd round at best the next few seasons. I can say with certainty that Harden is the better ROCKET already, but as far as career or if both were on the board in an NBA draft? I'm taking Clyde Drexler. I think he'd be even better today. Then again, i'd pick a young T-Mac over either of them. I'd drool at the chance to see Phil Jackson get a chance to coach young T-Mac or POP coach young Clyde.

    Harden is just perfect for Moreyball and D'Antoni system though....but it's a ringless and even a Finals virgin style and system.
     
  2. jordnnnn

    jordnnnn Member

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2010
    Messages:
    10,875
    Likes Received:
    11,804
    That's where you are wrong.

    Just because I point out how terribly wrong you have been on all your "takes" over the past on James doesn't mean I don't acknowledge his shortcomings.

    The best he's ever been on defense is ok. Even when you account for time of possession his turnover number is a little high. And sure there are some other things you could nitpick on. Difference is I didn't dismiss him because of those things and could easily see how rare of a player he was.

    So to sum it up. Last year when you cried and doubted and hopped on team Dwight, you were wrong. Im glad now you are finally starting to come around to the idea that this Harden guy is pretty damn amazing even with his faults.

    It's ok to be wrong.
     
    bobloblaw likes this.
  3. Zergling

    Zergling Member

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2010
    Messages:
    5,726
    Likes Received:
    3,625
    Please explain this o_O

    Harden and Dream would have a field day demolishing opponents. Look what Capela has become thanks to Harden and Capela isn't even 10% of Dream offensively.
     
    YaoMing#1 likes this.
  4. Zergling

    Zergling Member

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2010
    Messages:
    5,726
    Likes Received:
    3,625
    Harden is easily a better play-maker than Drexler. Morey would take Harden in a heartbeat because he was basically made for Moreyball.
     
  5. jevjnd

    jevjnd Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2002
    Messages:
    1,496
    Likes Received:
    258
    He's a better shooter, ball-handler, finisher (Drexler could dunk harder, but Harden has a variety of effective finishes over larger players that you can't just dunk over), passer, and rebounder. Drexler wins defensively and in no other way. Those Portland teams were stacked.
     
    bobloblaw and YaoMing#1 like this.
  6. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 1999
    Messages:
    97,542
    Likes Received:
    40,171
    Defense is definitely important
    Drexler has dunked on larger players
     
  7. jevjnd

    jevjnd Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2002
    Messages:
    1,496
    Likes Received:
    258
    Drexler could not dunk on a player like Alonzo Mourning or Shaq straight up and didn't have the finishing skills in terms of ball control that Harden does, which makes Harden the better finisher. Some guys are simply too large. While defense is important, ball control and play making are equally important. It's also true that he was much better defensively than Harden, but the gap between Harden's creating ability and Drexler's is significantly larger than even that gap.
     
  8. Daddy Long Legs

    Daddy Long Legs H- Town Harden

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2016
    Messages:
    10,984
    Likes Received:
    13,588
    Too many people over rate the past and dont appreciate the present enough.

    20 years from now we can say that we saw james harden run one of the most prolific offenses of all time. We could go on and on about how beautiful his game was. harden is the most creative player in the nba.

    He and dantoni make basketball seem so expressive and artistic

    Appreciate greatness when its in front of us
     
    #88 Daddy Long Legs, May 2, 2017
    Last edited: May 2, 2017
  9. YaoMing#1

    YaoMing#1 Member

    Joined:
    May 20, 2002
    Messages:
    5,482
    Likes Received:
    4,937
    I think Hardens game is honestly how all players will strive to be in 10 years.

    He's ahead of his time and a lot of people don't quite understand or appreciate how special this guy is.

    When he plays free and how he did in game 1 vs the Spurs. He's hands down the best player in the league only Lebron can imo make a claim to be on that level. It's just beautiful basketball.

    Harden like Lebron can do it all offensively

    He can be the high usage scorer and get 40 points on 28 shots like Kobe or Westbrook.

    He can be the magic Johnson playmaker and sit back and get a quite 20 on 10 shots.

    He can also be the stat stuffer highly efficient triple double monster.

    He can play any style the team needs that night and only Lebron can do that also in the whole league.

    And best of all he's shown he can win games playing any style.

    This guy is incredibly gifted as an offensive player. Imo he's a top 10 offensive player off Alltime.

    I love Clyde but he's no harden and I think Clyde himself would even admit that.

    I also think harden defense would have been much better in the handcheck era were he could really use his size and length to bother players.

    Let me ask you guys this, what player besides Lebron could honestly get this rockets team to the same results? 55 wins, historic offense and a legit chance at the WCF?

    The answer is none not KD not steph not Russ and not Leonard.
     
    jevjnd likes this.
  10. SamFisher

    SamFisher Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2003
    Messages:
    58,732
    Likes Received:
    36,182
    Lol - yeah it's ringless in the same sense as Billy Beane and Oakland are in baseball.

    Best to stay with ring heavy systems like Triangle.
     
  11. kjayp

    kjayp Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2006
    Messages:
    8,655
    Likes Received:
    7,407
    See man, it's like this... I'm not a James Harden fan - I'm a ROCKETS fan! And I will take issue with anybody that disrupts my team... YOU may be able to look past flaws bc someone is a 'special talent' - but that don't fly with me. I'm truly thankful that James has apparently got his head on straight now... it's a rarity for someone who had the 'issues' he did to pull his focus in line as he has done - once again, props to him!

    When things like: lack of effort, too much partying, aloofness for teammates, ballhogging and some of the other issues that have existed are on display - I say kick the dude to curb - ANY player! As aforementioned, it's a rarity for someone to go from these kind of issues to become as focused and team oriented as James has done this year. Again - props to him.

    I can freely admit that i was wrong, in that I did not think he would turn it around as he has - kudos to him!

    But start dating another Kardassian or put on the **** show that was last year (regardless of personal stats - see Westbrook) - and I'm gonna be the first guy to pick up a pitchfork!



    as a sidenote, i'm not going to rehash my views on the whole D12/Harden divide... time will tell how that plays out for future acquisitions... but last offseason, Durant went to GSW and we had to pony up 4/80M for Ryan Anderson ...

    Oh and you stated "The best he's ever been on defense is ok." I would have to disagree... I've seen him be great on defense - which is why it has pissed me off when the effort has not been there... I know what he's capable of - but maybe I just have a higher opinion of him than you... ;) lol
     
    Torn n Frayed likes this.
  12. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 1999
    Messages:
    97,542
    Likes Received:
    40,171
    Portland Drexler could dunk on anybody
     
    Richie_Rich and kjayp like this.
  13. DaGreatest

    DaGreatest Member

    Joined:
    May 25, 2010
    Messages:
    1,663
    Likes Received:
    170
    Clyde went to back to back finals as the man on an incredible team in a tough western conference.

    Jordan or Clyde debate was real. Clyde was special, Harden is having a great season and finally had a great big time step up playoff game. Pump your brakes, James haven't done anything yet. Hasn't led his team as the man to the finals.then he must do it multiple times and win at least 1 chip.

    These days fans are way too quick to crown a player without the requisite credentials and perspective.

    Too many ways to cut this flawed question. Harden is on his way but must consistently do this and win at least 1 ring.
     
    Torn n Frayed and kjayp like this.
  14. kjayp

    kjayp Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2006
    Messages:
    8,655
    Likes Received:
    7,407
    www.youtube.com/watch?v=FemXo57pJrk
     
  15. JMAD21

    JMAD21 Member

    Joined:
    Jan 14, 2010
    Messages:
    4,285
    Likes Received:
    866
    Harden and its not close
     
    jevjnd likes this.
  16. daywalker02

    daywalker02 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2006
    Messages:
    88,853
    Likes Received:
    42,776
    There are several ways of winning and both Harden and Drexler are on a high level. He is the definition of old school if it comes hard to hard.

    Harden is the guy whom you are comfortable with leading an offense but he is not the clutchest superstar.

    I think Drexler is underrated here. Guys cannot watch him on the telly any longer except for his seal clubbing comments.
     
  17. MiracleShot

    MiracleShot Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2009
    Messages:
    1,601
    Likes Received:
    442
    Thread is premature. Harden's best is yet to come.
     
    Richie_Rich and Tha_Dude like this.
  18. Tha_Dude

    Tha_Dude Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Nov 30, 2016
    Messages:
    3,465
    Likes Received:
    6,628
    Yep, and its hard to compare players from different era's to begin with because of how the game is constantly changing. The rules, the style of play, the way players develop in college, coaching philosophy (Did I just go too cliche???), but these things do have an impact when comparing players from different era's.

    I think Drexler would still be an effective player in today's game if he were in his prime. If you compare Drexler to modern day players he would be a hybrid of Gordon Hayward and Nic Batum with some Kobe Bryant sprinkled on top.

    It's harder to figure out where Harden would be if he had played in Drexler's era, though. NBA basketball was more of a meat grinder and much more physical at that time. Analytics weren't dominating the sport yet and even if they had been most of the players didn't feature skill sets that could fully take advantage of them to begin with.

    I think that while Harden's style lends itself better to the modern game, Drexler would be good in both era's but he wouldn't be putting up historic numbers like Harden is doing right now under the current era.

    TL;DR
    If we go 90's, give me Drexler.
    If we go current era, give me Harden.
     
    MiracleShot likes this.
  19. MiracleShot

    MiracleShot Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2009
    Messages:
    1,601
    Likes Received:
    442
    I think Harden would have fared really well in Drexler's era. Yes, the game was more physical, but Harden is incredibly strong, he has great body control and can finish through contact. He draws a lot of fouls that wouldn't be fouls in the 90s, but I think he has just learned to do that because that's the way the game is officiated today.

    Plus, the 90s had a lot more of what are now almost considered lost arts: mid-range shooting and big, dominating, post-up centers. Both of these would have benefited Harden.

    I think Harden's midrange game is elite, and it has been since he got here. That little stepback jumper he does? With the game on the line, that's the shot I want him taking. Frankly, I wish he'd take it more, but Morey would probably be pissed. I feel like two years ago I can remember several games where Harden would take over because he would drain 3 or 4 of those mid range jumpers in a row.

    Plus, Harden in combination with some of these dominant centers (e.g. Hakeem) would have made him even more unstoppable.
     
    jevjnd likes this.
  20. daywalker02

    daywalker02 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2006
    Messages:
    88,853
    Likes Received:
    42,776
    Depending on how many good playmakers the team have......

    If they got Payton, Magic in prime, I would say Drexler.
     

Share This Page

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now