[Woj] How James Harden is learning to become a complete franchise star

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To Harden, hanging 82 games a season on the board matters to him. It matters a lot.

“You can say [the perception] is frustrating, or you can look at it and say, ‘OK, what if I play 65 games and miss 17 games. Play 32 minutes a game. And look like the best player ever.’ I wish I could, but in this instance, I’m here to play and do what I do.

“We don’t have that [luxury] ... listen, I can’t sit out games. My teammates, my coaches, this organization needs me on that floor.”
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If I didn't know any better, I'd say he's taking a swipe at Ginobody with that comparison. Ginobody is the player he compares to the most. imo, (though Harden has gone to another level), and was renowned for missing that many games and playing low minutes.

 

I'd like to see the actions with the words this season

 

Corner turnt?

On a serious note, if this is the Harden we get after last year's disaster,
Then it is 100% worth it.

 

Naw, I think he was taking a swipe at Lebron and Curry. Lebron takes weeks off for rest and no one cares. Most say it's smart. Curry plays 32 minutes a game because his team is just so good he doesn't have to play much.

 

??

Lebron averages 39 mpg for his entire career. And only once played less that 75 games. Harden isn't talking about Lebron.

He might be talking about Curry's minutes (a luxury for GSW), but he doesn't take off weeks at a time. He also has played 75+ games per year, except for his one injury year.

He's likely talking about no one in particular, but the star player who most resembles that description is Ginobody, a player many have compared him to back at OKC.

 

Woj never puts out bad articles about the Rockets. Moreys bff.

Glad Harden is focused. He knows he has to do something to keep himself in the elite status, winning will change all that.

 

Hopefully this is Harden's best year yet. We can go far with this team.

 

One cookie cutter sentence from Harden and he split the ocean with his wand. How much did Woj get paid for this bullshit article?

 

It all sounds great on paper, but I wanna see it on the court.

 

Still all talk. Just go play ball.

 

These are the two I thought of as well.

 

I really think he is talking about Lebron and Curry, not Manu G. Harden has a similar game to Manu, but their franchise visibility is not even close. Nobody cares if Manu misses a game or gets less minutes. Harden brings this stuff up because (IMO) he sees players he is compared to play less minutes, shoulder less of a load, and deliberately take games off, yet get applauded.

Lebron doesn't take weeks off, but he does announce to everyone when he is going on his mandatory regular season vacation. Curry's team is so good he doesn't have to play a lot or carry the load like Harden.

Harden, who has missed 1 game in the last few years, because of suspension, is constantly called lazy, uninterested, selfish, not a team player. If Harden is absent a game or within the offense, Rockets chances of winning is almost zero. Lebron takes a couple days off, he plays in the eastern conference; They can lose a couple games. Curry misses time, or has a bad game, GSW wins a couple playoff games easy.

Harden is referring to Lebron and Curry. I have little doubt.

 

As a Houston fan I don't understand how you can't be excited by this. Yes it is just talk at this stage but everything so far that has happened this off season has pointed to Harden finally putting it all together and realising that he needs to do so much more than just perform on the court for this team to be successful. This year is going to propel Harden to a new level, while it may not translate to the stat sheet, he is finally taking ownership of this team on and off the court.

I'm excited.

 

I'm going to take James at his word. I don't doubt his talent. What I still have doubts about are the rest of the players and D’Antoni. Will the guys we got during the off-season be able to stay on the court and stay healthy? If they do, can D’Antoni lead them to a deep playoff run? We'll see.

 

I do not think a franchise cornerstone can play 82 games regularly without fizzling out.

Lebron could not do it. Other stars cannot do it. That is why Pops was and still is a genius resting his players.

 

Durable because he only plays 20 minutes a game. Just one end of the court.

 

why does it feel like this statement is more believable coming from harden than it would be coming from a guy like dwight. Rewatching the the 1st round againist the warriors when Harden would try to set his teammates up and only beasley showed up, or the game 5 when harden scored 19 first quarter points, and the rest of the team i think was 1-16 or some crazy number like that

 

Technically he only plays about 24 minutes per game.

 

Can't even get the math right.