Grade James Harden's 1st Round Performance

Exactly. If teams want to win the battle of slowing down Harden at the expense of winning the war, go for it.

 

Thank goodness the Jazz sucked dick at shooting open 3s.
If you want to point to a reason why we gentleman sweeped the Jazz it wasn't because of Harden's savant offense leading to a great offensive efficiency. In fact our offensive efficiency was horrendous this series.

If the Clippers shot this bad against the Warriors it would be an easy sweep for them.

 

James Harden doesn't have a career playoff TS% of 53.

His career playoff TS% is 58.

What is Michael Jordan's career playoff TS%....... 57

What is Kobe Bryant's career playoff TS% ........ 54

What is Wilt Chamberlain's career playoff TS%..... 52

What is Shaq O'Neal's career playoff TS%....... 56

 

They slowed down the entire Rockets defense. I think we were minus 10 in offensive efficiency compared to the regular season this series.

Jazz lost the war because they shot like ****.

 

People keep saying Utah got so many good looks. . . . Yeah, if you call Ricky Rubio shooting open threes good looks. They gave the 3 to Rubio and it worked.

 

You have to compare league average ts% those respective seasons to those players.

Every elite scorer today averages above 60% ts including Harden in the regular season. Harden has one of the most severe drop offs in efficiency compared to his superstar peers.

 

The drop off of Harden's effectiveness between his RS performance and playoff performance is the greatest among all time greats, if Harden wants to belong in that category. This is why even some fans get frustrated with Harden and want to introduce some kind of change in the way he plays the game, because there's gotta be something going on that makes Harden easier to scheme against in the post season.

Personally I think it's mix of two things:

1.Being heavily reliant on ISO-ball

2. Not even thinking to take occasional midrange shots

 

114.8 vs 108.3

The regular season didn’t involve playing a top defense every single game.

We also didn’t shoot well and we didn’t lose the war. So what does that say?

 

It says the Jazz shot unsustainablly bad. We gave up the most open looks also in the playoffs.

 

lol, what was the league average TS during those days?

and why did you left off PER, a more encompassing stat?

 

Jazz played him tough and very physical with him. That kind pressure is difficult to absorb. Good news is that Warriors are not that physical.

 

Lol so no credit goes to any rockets?

Stop hating no rockets owe you a sweep

 

It's so crazy to think that Dream would INCREASE his efficiency in the playoffs. Just an absolute stud. That's why players like Jordan, LeBron and Hakeem are considered the best ever playoff performers.

 

No, KD and Step are not more reliant on ISO's and driving to the basket, because they are not as good at it as they are at other parts of their game.

Not surprising. You are the same guy that claimed that Harden was lazy..... that Harden did not work out during the off season... that called Harden fat every single off season, including this one. You are the same guy that said that he sucked at defense. The same guy that has called him a ball hog.... the same guy that has criticized his off season work outs............... yet every single season he has come back better and expanded his game.

From the ball being sticky, to not Harden not taking enough mid range shots..... for some reason you really do not like James Harden.

That is your right, but I have to say I think it taints your opinion of him.

The Rockets have not won a title, but it hasn't been because of James Harden..... It has been because of another team being the best in decades playing in the same conference.

You are the same type of guys that used to rip Wilt Chamberlain and Shaq O'Neal... and even Jordan the first 5 years of his career.

James Harden is likely not the best offensive player ever, it is very hard to compare era's. However I can say he is one of the 4-5 best players over a long span of play that I have seen in nearly 40 years of playing and watching basketball.

Most likely the Rockets lose to the Warriors, as the Warriors are the more talented team........ but I can pretty confidently say, it likely won't be because of James.

 

I’ll give him a solid B

 

yeah, that alone makes him top 10 player of all time. It's a rare feat, indeed.

 

Now you are taking this personally. Harden deserved his criticism. Even his own coaches have said he came in out of shape. You can VISUALLY see him add pounds of fat over in previous off-seasons. What changed my mind on Harden's off-season conditioning was Harden changing himself in the CP3 acquisition off-season where he explicitly stated how he had to eat clean and the came into the regular season in excellent shape.

I change my mind based off merit. He had issues with keeping in shape before. That was a legitimate criticism.

And now he has severe deficiencies elsewhere such as having a very predictable offensive game. That also is a very legitmate criticism.

Do you think I have some type of agenda in criticsm of Harden? I don't like bearded guys? I'm racist? What is it? Can you accept that I'm critical of him from a sincere perspective? I've been called LOF and a Rocket hater plenty times on this goes because some snowflakes can't handle criticism of the Rocket stars. I'm frankly tired of it. I've had my personal character attacked because of this. I'm going to push back.

 

So no active player could give you the sweep that you deserve right

 

I gave him a C. Maybe that was too low. But compared to his regular season it seemed fair. Utah has a lock down defense and they got to him. He could not put his signature on games 3-5 (ok q4 game 3). I am interested to see how he bounces back in the next series. I would love to see him get this big baboon off of his back on being a playoff wallflower. He really needs to be superman for us to be a serious threat to dethrone the Warriors. If he isn't. We don't stand a chance. That said he does seem to not allow adversity to affect him like it used to. When things don't go his way he is keeping his nose down and trying. That is encouraging.

 

Just curious who would have singlehandedly led the rockets to sweep the jazz?