Harden lost his man there. But Turkey is playing more like a team than the US. They apmove the ball very well.
Big difference between team USA and Turkey: one plays fundamental, smart and together. The other plays 1-on-1, fouls a lot, complains and try to go fancy.
This is where you miss a player like Iguodala or George. USA is trying to pressure with Irving and Curry, not working.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>How Harden keeps playing with this defense, I have no idea. <a href="https://t.co/buFLdjyGU8">https://t.co/buFLdjyGU8</a></p>— BBALLBREAKDOWN (@bballbreakdown) <a href="https://twitter.com/bballbreakdown/statuses/506181663601479680">August 31, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
That was a bad sequence for Harden but as a whole I think his defense has been good with team USA. I think he's been the most composed player in this game for sure, seems like he's not out there just wanting to go 1 v 1 like the other guards.
Faried didn't strike me as a USA player, but he is easily the most valuable player on the team, more so than James and Davis. His energy is erasing a lot of their bone head mistakes.
Coach Nick always harps on Harden. He definitely deserved it for that play but he's pretty biased against Harden. Harden's been playing good defense for USA. One bad play and he is quick to comment about how Harden shouldn't be playing at all.
leave it to Harden to get a screen grab on twitter while Kyrie, Curry, and Rose have been just abysmal.
You can always count on media-heads on Twitter blowing up Harden's defense while not saying a word about other dudes. Yeah he's made some mistakes, but far from the only one. On another note...Faried wants it more than anybody else out there. Gotta love the way he plays.
This. Been playing much improved D all summer. Has a rough couple of olays, which any player will have, and all of the good is forgotten. Gotta be perfect or he will be bombarded with criticism.
