Harden's FG% chart comparing playoffs to regular season, Lillard, Aldridge

Harden needs to pick his spots a little better and needs a little luck.

 

so much goes into that stat - but ya - he could improve his fg% - so what, this team is growing

 

its explained pretty easily. All those times he would drive and get a call, are turned into missed shots now.

 

You need some context for the first chart. There's the issue of sample size. In his best two years (2011, 2012) he played the most games (17, 20); in the remaining three years he played 6, 6, and 3 (so far). In other words he played more playoff games in each of the two years he had the better percentages than in the other three years put together.

Look, I've been very critical of Harden's performance in this series so far, but it's not fair to expand these criticisms to "he always sucks in the playoffs." Not yet at least.

 

And the opposite is true for Lillard and Aldridge.

 

I'm curious: Did he start badly in 2011 and 2012? Does anyone know?

 

How do you know what he's doing off the court?

 

Basically harden is not a first option type of player. His skill set is elite when he is getting calls because his efficiency is predicated on free throws. Each call effectively wipes out a missed shot and because he shoots ft at an 80%+ clip his ts% and efg% rise commensurately.

His problem is that in the post season the opposing defences have sufficient time and incentives to key on certain players. This means that they attack ur weaknesses and in hardens case it means collapsing the defense in the paint to limit his penetration and ability to draw fouls. His defender is also playing more of a positional defense and limiting gambles for steal and blocks to limit hardens ft draw rate.

Hardens game is simply not mature enough or varied enough to compensate for this.

This same thing is now happening to Durant although Durant has a much greater ability to ovetcome.

 

sorry, can't help it, James Harden's shot chart.

 

Harden stans don't really care if the team wins or loses, as long as their man has the greenlight, theyre content

 

Harden needs to be paired in the backcourt with a really good dishing PG and his game will be elevated big time. The ball sticks in his hands way to long and you have to give Portland credit in having Mathews post up Harden on the defensive.

 

This. That's also why it would be better to use eFG here. Harden relies so much on getting to the line, and when he doesn't, he turns into nothing more than a volume shooter. Also, when he expects to get the call, it's usually not going to be a quality shot, so those are almost guaranteed to be missed shots. His entire game comes down to getting to the line.

 

Part of the problem perhaps may stem from the GM insisting on threes and layups and very few mid range shots. In game 4 Harden attempted 11 3 pointers, when he should attacked the rim more or got closer to the basket and take more mid range (higher percentage shots). The GM's strategy can work over the stretch of a regular season but in the playoffs where more shots are contested it maybe hurting the Rockets.

 

needs to put the ball in the basket

 

I've been posting this in other threads, but the reason for all of this is the coaching. Not just Mchale, but the rest of his staff. What the hell are they doing for game planning? Like seriously? Listen to the announcers the past 4 games, they question what the team is doing sometimes. Thats on coaching to say something to the players, to correct issues all year....but its just looking worse when the pressure is ramped up in this series. We're only alive because of Troy Daniels 3 on a scramble play NOBODY planned for.