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James Harden to Houston = Tracy McGrady to Orlando?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by DLS, Oct 29, 2012.

  1. DLS

    DLS Member

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    Surprised this idea hasn't been tossed around. Just thought I'd throw it in the fire for fun. :grin:


    McGrady

    <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" bordercolor="#cccccc" border="1"><tr class="title"><td class="year">Year</td><td class="team">Team</td><td>G</td><td>GS</td><td>MPG</td><td>FG%</td><td>3P%</td><td>FT%</td><td>OFF</td><td>DEF</td><td>RPG</td><td>APG</td><td>SPG</td><td>BPG</td><td>TO</td><td>PF</td><td>PPG</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="yr">97-98</td><td class="tm">TOR</td><td>64</td><td>17</td><td>18.4</td><td>0.450</td><td>0.341</td><td>0.712</td><td>1.6</td><td>2.6</td><td>4.2</td><td>1.5</td><td>0.8</td><td>1.0</td><td>1.03</td><td>1.34</td><td>7.0</td></tr><tr class="odd"><td class="yr">98-99</td><td class="tm">TOR</td><td>49</td><td>2</td><td>22.6</td><td>0.436</td><td>0.229</td><td>0.726</td><td>2.4</td><td>3.2</td><td>5.7</td><td>2.3</td><td>1.1</td><td>1.4</td><td>1.63</td><td>1.92</td><td>9.3</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="yr">99-00</td><td class="tm">TOR</td><td>79</td><td>34</td><td>31.2</td><td>0.451</td><td>0.277</td><td>0.707</td><td>2.4</td><td>4.0</td><td>6.3</td><td>3.3</td><td>1.1</td><td>1.9</td><td>2.03</td><td>2.54</td><td>15.4</td></tr><tr class="odd"><td class="yr">00-01</td><td class="tm">ORL</td><td>77</td><td>77</td><td>40.1</td><td>0.457</td><td>0.355</td><td>0.733</td><td>2.5</td><td>5.0</td><td>7.5</td><td>4.6</td><td>1.5</td><td>1.5</td><td>2.57</td><td>2.08</td><td>26.8</td></tr></table>

    Harden

    <table class="playerStatTable careerAvg" border="1" bordercolor="#cccccc" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr class="title"><td class="year">Year</td><td class="team">Team</td><td>G</td><td>GS</td><td>MPG</td><td>FG%</td><td>3P%</td><td>FT%</td><td>OFF</td><td>DEF</td><td>RPG</td><td>APG</td><td>SPG</td><td>BPG</td><td>TO</td><td>PF</td><td>PPG</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="yr">09-10</td><td class="tm">OKC</td><td>76</td><td>0</td><td>22.9</td><td>0.403</td><td>0.375</td><td>0.808</td><td>0.6</td><td>2.6</td><td>3.2</td><td>1.8</td><td>1.0</td><td>0.3</td><td>1.39</td><td>2.63</td><td>9.9</td></tr><tr class="odd"><td class="yr">10-11</td><td class="tm">OKC</td><td>82</td><td>5</td><td>26.7</td><td>0.436</td><td>0.349</td><td>0.843</td><td>0.5</td><td>2.6</td><td>3.1</td><td>2.1</td><td>1.1</td><td>0.3</td><td>1.29</td><td>2.52</td><td>12.2</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="yr">11-12</td><td class="tm">OKC</td><td>62</td><td>2</td><td>31.4</td><td>0.491</td><td>0.390</td><td>0.846</td><td>0.5</td><td>3.6</td><td>4.1</td><td>3.7</td><td>1.0</td><td>0.2</td><td>2.21</td><td>2.42</td><td>16.8</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="yr">12-13</td><td class="tm">HOU</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>?</td></tr></table>

    <p>I didn't watch McGrady much when he was with Toronto but I seem to remember he was mainly seen as a reserve lock down defender and athletic all around player on a Vinsanity led team. No one projected his crazy jump in scoring and stardom.

    <p>Harden's reputation right now is as a highly explosive and efficient offensive player. In addition, he has more talent around him right now compared to what McGrady had in Orlando (an injured Grant Hill?): meaning potentially more easy baskets. Is it improbable that he makes a similar jump in offense and stardom?

    <p>Obviously there's the age and physical differences. The stats seem to align through my flame annealed glasses though. Even if it takes Harden one season of starting to gain momentum, I personally don't think it's a stretch to consider this possibility.

    Thoughts? Flame? :cool:
     
  2. W22_STREAK

    W22_STREAK Member

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    More like Joe Johnson to Atlanta. Harden has nothing on T-Mac.
     
  3. apollo33

    apollo33 Member

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    Mcgrady was a different tier player
     
  4. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    McGrady was an allstar and 2 time scoring champion who was the best player on a team that was 22-60
    he was traded for another all star and other good players because the other All Star, Steve Francis did not work well in JVG's system as a PG, plus he was not as talented as McGrady

    James Harden was one the best 6th men in the league who was on the Western Conference champion team who lost in the NBA Finals
    James was traded because he wanted more money which OKC could not provide and because Morey was in position to trade away young talent and a dependable scorer
     
  5. Carl Herrera

    Carl Herrera Contributing Member

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    Read the OP, the comparison is between McGrady's Toronto years and Harden's OKC years (the first 3 seasons for each of them).

    The difference is that young Tracy McGrady was an athletic and skilled player who put up all around numbers (even blocking close to 2 shots per game) but did not score efficiently. James Harden, on the other hand, is known for super efficient scoring (and is only average defensively).

    McGrady really didn't take the step to become a prolific scorer until he got to Orlando.
     
  6. DLS

    DLS Member

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    What was McGrady during his Toronto days? Not an all-star.

    That's my only point. It's not that Harden is what McGrady became or that Harden is currently in the same tier as McGrady in his prime...but that OKC Harden is comparable to TOR McGrady in potential and that the jump to being "the man" has a high probability to end up the same.
     
  7. treyk3

    treyk3 Member

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    I think you guys are missing the point, he is talking about his years in Toronto, where he was a good player but not in the elite category yet.

    Harden put up very similar numbers to McGrady in their first three years.

    McGrady won MIP during his first season @ Orlando so that obviously signals that he wasn't playing on that elite level until then.
     
  8. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    you're right carl
     
  9. JayGoogle

    JayGoogle Member

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    The point is I think that Tmac was improving year to year until he eventually broke out and that is it that far fetched to say that Harden can do the same, especially when the numbers say that it's not that crazy to say that.
     
  10. OremLK

    OremLK Member

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    People need to stop making this comparison, Harden doesn't play at all like JJ and he's already a much better offensive player.

    He's more like Manu in playstyle.
     
  11. CaptainRox

    CaptainRox Member

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    He's got nothing on McGrady as of yet. OKC was way better than Toronto even then with VC, but I hope Harden proves me wrong
     

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