Harden named Western Conference Player of the Week again

The only media to mention him.....

 

James Harden 1st player to win Conference Player of the Week twice in 1st 3 weeks

 

In post #6 of this thread I mentioned LeBron was age 26 when he moved on from Cavs to Miami.

Harden is 28 years old now (Aug).

LeBron went from high school to the NBA and was a man child to start his career. So I give LeBron a two year
jump on Harden as far as maturity and basketball IQ.

Now you see Harden as not getting much playing time with OKC....but I see a guy drowned out by Westbrook
to begin his career. Note the difference in a Hardens number from his last year with Thunder to his next year w/
Rockets as evidence. Westbrook recently did the same number on Oladipo last year. Observe Oladipo
USG%, PER, points/game with Orlando/Thunder & now Pacers. Harden sufficiency was delayed probably
two years because of Westbrook. So I just look at the body of work while with Houston. Others can view
it anyway they wish. I just see those individuals as over zealous to scrutinize Harden in a bad light than in
a good one.

Edited: per basketball-reference.com
Oladipo
Orlando: 22.9 USG%, 16.7 PER, 16.0 pts/gm (15/16)
Thunder: 21.4 USG%, 13.6 PER, 15.9 pts/gm (16/17)
Pacers: 30.3 USG%, 22.8 PER, 23.8 pts/gm (17/18)

Harden
Thunder: 21.6 USG%, 21.1 PER, 16.8 pts/gm (last yr with Thunder)
Rockets: 29.0 USG%, 23.0 PER, 25.9 pts/gm (1st yr with Rockets)
LeBron was his own man coming into the league on his own team. Houston was Hardens own team. Lin
was a small obstacle.

 

I like what harden showed so far this season. This is his best season in rockets.

 

I think Westbrook, Curry, and Lillard are all highly suspect in being Best Player on a championship team. Harden has the best argument of the group though.

 

Yeah, Harden has all the tools to become the best offensive dude ever that can dish to his teammates too if he isn't there already.

His D isn't that bad obviously too. In close out games in the playoffs he tends to shrink when his shot is not on.

I dun think he is really unstoppable every playoff game. And the opponent probably knows it.

It's on Gordon, Mbah, CP3 and the other guys.

So what remains to get close to a championship (which Steve Nash never did); The Help, Coaching, His peak condition and timing, A bit of luck. Experience.

How many years he can stay on this level, we shall see.

 

Well curry has won as the best player.

Here in lies the problem with most fan perception. When you are talking about the truly elite superstars, all are 'capable' of being the #1 on a championship team but they just need the right team and guys around them. Which is just as difficult, if not more, as acquiring one of these top flight stars.

So, while I surely don't prefer and doubt the likelihood of a lillard or westy winning as "the guy", what curry has proven is it is definitely possible.

So, this is why you don't give up on top top tier talent. You just have to find the guys and team to make hat happen.

To that regard, I think Morey is close to building the team needed for harden. We have that secondary playmaker he desperately needed. We now have multiple long defenders surrounding him. What I think we still lack is a front court/wing playmaker and defender. But those are extremely hard to find. Draymonds don't grow on trees. But look for morey to chase extremely hard on lebron.

 

I totally agree: help, coaching, luck and timing go a long way.

My point has been pushing help over all else because teams in the playoffs try to take away the first
and second options. In 14-15 the Warriors keyed on Harden after Dwight Howard tweaked his knee
after (I believe Terrence) Jones rolled over and hyper-extended D12’s knee( gm 1). At that point they took away
options 1 & 2 (D12 no longer ran PnR). That’s where health played into effect. Nene getting hurt last
year played a big factor last year; as he was our enforcer near the rim. Harrell was too short and didn’t
block shots or rebound well.

Coaching: let’s not bring McHale into this as he is an old fashion former post up player which the game
has pasted him by. The game has changed. I will just say teams can win despite coaches. Spoelstra
was considered a puppet coach while LeBron/D-Wade/Bosh ran things. Kyrie Irving suggested the other
day that Brad Stevens is a real coach vs Tyrone Lue and David Blatt (whom many feel were puppet coaches
to LeBron James).

Luck is probably the biggest factor. But not all believe in Luck; you make your own luck.

As per earlier posting. LeBron NBA Finals team “help” vs Houston Rockets roster last year:

LeBron.................Harden
Shannon Brown....Gordon
Daniel Gibson.......Beverley
Drew Gooden........Ryan Anderson
Larry Hughes........Ariza
Damon Jones.......Harrell
Donyell Marshall...Dekker
Eric Snow..............Lou Williams
Varejao..................Capela
David Westley.......Nene

I think both rosters were comparable to each other. Larry Hughes had a huge contract for a reason. He was
only an 8 year vet this particular season.

Year before a LeBron fled to Miami:

LeBron
Daniel Gibson
Danny Green (rookie)
J.J. Hickson
Ilgauskas
Antwan Jamison
Jamario Moon
Shaq O’Neal
Anthony Parker
Sebastian Telfair
Varejao
Delonte West
Mo Williams

To this point still no championships for LeBron. Because LeBron would shrink in the 4th quarters due to
poor free throw shooting and lack of range in his FG shooting. This is why many felt LeBron had to join
D-Wade. Because D-Wade could close games. He would make his FT’s. LeBron has adapted. Harden
just has to keep track of the spot up shooter he is responsible for defensively. Curry keeps track of his man.
But Harden is not a liability in the post.....Curry is a liability in the post defensively.

 

My basis is FMVP - which Iguodala won in '15.

I'm not saying, "give up on Harden". He's a great player. I'm just telling the whole truth about him.

 

so if GS had Players MVP Harden instead of Curry with FMVP AI in '15 they still would have won the championship right?

 

Yes

I stated earlier Harden > Curry

 

so Harden can win a ring being the best player on a team

 

Curry didn't.

They're both suspect.

 

George Hill must have had an off week.

 

so you're saying AI or someone else would have been the best player on the 2015 not Curry or Harden?

 

I think Larry Hughes at his best was a way more talented scorer than Ariza.

 

I'm saying, "an average defender will always struggle winning FMVP" -- There's only been 3 in league history (Isiah, Parker, and Dirk).

James is doing better this season, so we'll see what happens.

 

I would agree. There is some give and take with both rosters. Hughes was deadly with Washington next to Agent Zero.
Hughes got one of the biggest contracts at the time. Then things fell apart. Gilbert Arenas pulled a gun on a teammate.
Ariza is not the slasher/scorer; but I would say he has been the better defender over a career span.

Eric Snow and Beverley played much the same game.

David Westley/Shannon Brown/Daniel Gibson were good enough scorers; comparable to Gordon/Lou Williams

Donyell Marshall was equal to Dekker defensively; but Marshall could slash and work better around the rim than Dek.

Gooden wasn’t bad > Harrell

Varejao = Capela
Throw Nene in there somewhere. Note his injury was just prior to the Rockets being eliminated.

LeBron > Harden. But as @BigMaloe mentioned....LeBron was referred to as LeChoke or LeBrick back then.

San Antonio swept the Cavs in the finals 4-straight that year. West > East then.
Cavs made it to NBA finals that one year; while Houston (w/Harden) made it to WCF’s (couldn’t get past Warriors)

Big deal. As CP3 said when he came to Houston this past summer:
“If you ain’t in first place, you’re in last place.”——Ricky Bobby quote
I don’t care that the Cavs lost in the NBA finals and that Houston lost in the WCF’s....neither won the championship. LeBron had to join Stars...more than Harden has had the luxury of doing. CP3 helps
this year.

Edited: anyone can google “LeBrick James”. Note the article dates of what you come up with.

 

@ApacheWarrior

I think this year's Irving is looking like Harden taking on the Celts on his back without Hayward.