NBA Fans Appreciate James Harden's Greatness - Jalen Rose

most liked comments underneath:

[He can score we all know that but we definitely don’t appreciate it ... we hate and hate smh]

[I can't recall any greatness being so unwatchable in history.]

[How is it amazing he shoots 50 times a game. Gets bs calls]

[we will start appreciating it if he plays like this in playoffs... where he starts choking.]

[I don't appreciate flopping and dribbling like its a rucker park game for 10 seconds then shooting]

[I don’t appreciate the flopping and traveling....]

 

Heard Amin on The Jump the other day make the comment that the hate for Hardens game is a fan NOT a player thing.

Let the fans be dumb....

 

it's also an analyst thing considering amin himself has a long sordid history of hating harden, as do the vast majority of his useless peers

 

This is true. He did conveniently leave out the media

 

You're overemphasizing the sentiment of the NBA twitterverse.

Go sit in a visiting arena when Harden starts cooking. Particularly a crap team whose fan base just wants to be entertained.

Oohs, aahs, people just shaking their head and saying "dayum".

 

will he be this generally hated if he was doin this in a california or NY team?

 

I’m going to be a 100% honest. When he first came here I really disliked his demeanor on the court where he would constantly blame his teammates for his mistakes. He would constantly glare or yell at the other guys on the court. His apathy for defense also made me dislike him. However in 2015 you could tell someone got in his head that he had to be a better teammate and he had to step up the defense.

That’s when I became a fan of his. Most people don’t watch James unless he is playing their team and only then they are rooting against him. Most peoples narratives about him are from before the 15 season and what the media paints for them.

The disrespect that gets thrown his way is tragic. We are witnessing a supernova type output at its brightest and all we hear from NBA types is that he jacks up 41 shots a game. Harden did that once. Kobe once shot 50 times in a game and had at least 10 games where he shot the ball 40 times or more. Michael did that at least 7-8 times. Where’s the hate for them. Just yesterday Eddie Johnson said he wouldn’t be able to play with Harden because he wouldn’t ever shoot the ball. This is not just a fan but a former player.

Even if James didn’t play for us I would want him to get a ring to finally shut up his critics and get the respect that he deserves. Life ain’t fair but a scenario where Draymond gets to live life more respected than James because he never got a ring is one that just makes me grind my teeth.

 

He would be the biggest thing in the NBA right now if he was in NY or LA.

 

I hated Barkley and Bird back in the day too, because they were not on my team - it is a natural hatred/respect.

DD

 

Yeah but you did appreciate their greatness and didnt underrate them

 

I tried to find every excuse as to why they were dominating, luck, referees.....ultimately, the appreciation came grudgingly......

I don't honestly care that other fans don't like him, that is a badge of honor......means he is great.

DD

 

lol i can assure you that's not the kind of hate that Harden gets

 

Jalen Rose: James Harden is going to score 90 THIS YEAR...

90 is a BIG NUMBER!

I personally think he tops out at 89!!!
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That was especially true when Amin had Curry to bolster. Now that Curry is out for a while and has had his run anyway, Amin might relax his hate.

I said, "MIGHT," mind you.

 

Harden is such an interesting case of greatness vs general perception. He pratically is the iso, tough shot maker prototype that was adored in the 90s and 2000s.

He is Kobe Bryant on steriods being even more efficent, shooting more threes and being a better playmaker, but the goal posts were shifted and suddenly we don't like that brand of basketball anymore, but remeber with nostalgia the iverson, kobe, tmac hero ball pull up midrange era.

I think it's a mixture of early narrative of him gaming the refs and not defending, added to Houston not being a glamour market, the fact hat Harden is so laid back he makes it look easy and that GSW era was predicated on ball movement. Go figure.