then why are you using the same argument that WB fans are using? low efficiency is low efficiency. there is no excuse.
he is not I don't think he is a 3pt specialist.. but that aspect of his game is still improving.. ever expect him to make step back 3's a thing? he's an offensive goat though ask cp3, lebron, mda, morey, pops, kerr, gsw
why? Harden was leading the league in 3PT made before the injury, remember? Of course his efficiency was lower than Klay and Steph, but by your logic on 'drives' (that Harden leads in sheer quantity and production), shouldn't Harden be considered the best 3PT shooter in the league?
because he does a lot of things elite playmaker, drives, 3s he's an elite playmaker same stratosphere as cp3 he's an elite scorer same level as kd he's an elite driver same level as kyrie 150% pts off drives more 3% FG off drives less than Kyrie this year he's an elite 3 pointer behind steph & klay ahead of lillard & gordon he's doin all that with 1 33 year-old superstar and 3rd highest paid RA no 1 single player can make the rockets any better replace harden with steph in 15 and gsw still champs while rockets win less games replace harden with kd in 17 and gsw still champs while rockets win less games
you think that green can attack the rim better than gordon?[/QUOTE] With Gordon's 'current slump', YES, I feel Green would have been more effective in this game. Check out some of his highlights from the Orlando game. True, Green has come back down to earth from where he started with us, but you CAN'T do any worse than 0 for 7. Also check out his D under the basket in this Orlando game. Gordo is not as athletic around the rim. I'm not saying to dump Gordo. Just that when someone is shooting 0 for 19 from 3 why not try something different? It's painful to watch him heave up brick after brick
maybe you have different notion of what 'finishing ability' means? most people take it as one's own ability to score at the rim, not including playmaking. you can make the case that Harden is the best if his passing to Capela is considered, but that's not what most people mean by 'finishing.' In terms of just putting the basketball inside the bucket, you will be making very difficult case that Harden is the best at the rim.
In terms of one's own ability to finish at the rim? Aren't LeBron, Giannis, or even Durant clearly better due to their sheer physical advantage? Harden is better at creating the opportunities for drives because he has better handles, but also not as efficient around the basket compared to physical freaks. I would also say Kyrie has a strong case, but maybe not Steph. Of course this has nothing to do with which player I'd rather choose to have. That's a whole different discussion.
You may be right about them stepping up or down depending on the competition during the regular season. But history dictates that 90% of champions have top 5 defensive rating during the regular season. They are at #12 right now. Yes, they still have time but they better make sure they are top 5 come playoffs because top 5 will give them the best chance.
To be picky... Gordon is 0-16 in his last 2 games from 3. Both Rockets wins against tough opponents. Oh and Durant, Green and Curry did play.
Erik Spoelstra is a hell of a coach. That team plays hard, and moves a lot without the ball. They don't really have all that much talent, but they continue being pretty solid.
I think the only person who is on hardens level from a pure scoring standpoint is KD and I’m not mad if you choose him over harden he’s extreamly efficient, shoot he might be the best pure scorer in the history of the game. But total offense including playmaking harden is in a league of his own. He’s the best and imo he’s one of the 10 best offensive players in the history of the league. Even David Lock who does jazz play by play said on air that he thinks harden is top 5 offensive players off alltime so clearly I’m not alone. KD and Harden can score at all 4 levels at high efficiency. Three pointers, mid range, paint and FT line. We are witnessing some historic alltime offensive talent in KD, Harden, Lebron and curry. Those 4 are transcending the game on that end. It’s very very special to watch if your a basketball fan. These 4 are top 25 players off alltime.
Bruh, I'm not criticizing Harden's overall ability & he's obviously a good finisher. I'm just saying he isn't elite at it like Steph & Kyrie. @Vindicator already posted the stats. He gets his **** stuffed at the rim a lot & his efficiency/FG% would be Godly if he was at the level of those two I mentioned.
Harden is great because he's so versatile on offense and does so many things, but probably not the BEST in a single category other than drawing fouls. I actually think this "great at many things, but not best in one thing" is his strength because it shows is versatility, but some people take that as some kind of insult, as you see it here.
