Not cheating the game. Exploiting it. But it’s not like he found this exploit that any player can replicate. He has a pretty unique set of skills/abilities that allow him to do what he does, and the freedom within our system to go out there and do it. Might the league try to change the rules to take away some it? Perhaps, especially if it starts to catch on with other players. The league has instituted rule changes to steer offenses away from ISO ball in the past.
Harden is the among the greatest BB players I have seen in my lifetime and I am old enough to have seen Dr. J and Wilt many years ago. It's a whole new world now and others that don't like Harden are just jealous because he is not on their team.
Ppl are mad because their star player can’t do it. If they could they would excuse it. I get it. Watching Lou Williams is super frustrating but I’m not a whiny b**** about it.
Harden is not the first player to initiate contact on his drives and seek fouls. He is just better at it. He is not the first player to push the limits on the rules on his moves. He is just better at it. Harden is not a high flying, rim rocking athlete. He cant just rise up over his defender anytime and get the elevation and separation on his jumper like Durant can because of his athleticism. Instead, Harden plays a cerebral game. He uses his skills and finds new ways to get himself open looks. Which is actually harder to do. And since most cant do it, they hate on him. If most could do it, trust me, they would.
I always found it ironic how a lot basketball "pundits" speak about basketball IQ and how important it is to have your star plays have a high basketball IQ. Harden has a ton of basketball acumen and he has to develop that part of his game because quite frankly he is probably at best an average NBA athlete. He is strong for a SG but that again is something that can be developed by anyone. He isn't fast or quick by any means, he doesnt have disproportionate arms, he doesnt leap out of the building. Danuel House is far more athletic than Harden. For better or worse we've seen the greatest players in our league also be athletic freaks. Hell Hakeem was a freak of nature athletically and it gave him a huge advantage. Look at the MVPs of the last decade: Westbrook - athletic freak Curry - Quick and fast Durant - 7 footer with liek 7'6 arms and mobility like a guard LeBron - its LeBron Rose - one of the most athletic PGs ever - speed, hops Kobe - maybe the least athletic of the above bunch but still had plenty of leaping ability. Harden is the least athletic of the bunch and that adds a ton to the aesthetics of a player and how they are viewed. Giannis is the 'greek freak' for a reason and probably the most athletic player out of that bunch outside of LeBron and maybe pre-injury Rose. These guys give you highlights night in and night out that you can consume in a quick 10 second bit. Harden's game isn't like that at all. Harden is anything is the type of player most young players should try to emulate since he is the most athletically like the average high school player or D1 college player. Harden has gone and developed like crazy aspects to the game he can control. He isn't going to grow any taller the same way Giannis did when he came into the league, he isn't going to be jumping over people, he isn't going to be out running anyone either. He pushes the rule book and uses his smarts to get leverage against the defender. But since that sort of style doesn't sell the media hates him for it and in ways demonizes his style of play. It goes against everything that they are used to seeing. The best player is supposed to be physically better than everyone else. He has got to be the guy who can chase players down for blocks, dunk over them, run defenders around in circles thats what we are used to seeing not Harden. A co-worker randomly asked me today, he thinks Giannis will win MVP (he thinks it should be Harden),but what if it was the Rockets of last season and the Harden stats of last season and the Bucks of this season and Giannis this season who would win MVP? I told him that was a great question and that I would believe the media would still give it to Giannis even if the Rockets won more games in a tougher conference because they would have claimed better defense by Giannis (though defense was never a measure for MVP at all) and that the Bucks made a bigger leap from 7th place in the east last year to 1st in the east this year. Seeing how giving it to Harden last year seemed to be pulling teeth for them
Ive had a chance to watch James Harden live up close and all I can say is his dribbling is 10x faster than what you see on tv. Its amazing!
Hey idiot Dawkins - don't speak for the idiot scrub Don McLean You think that idiot scrub Don McLean would care about Harden's style of play if it only yielded massive individual stats, but produced Rockets losses? No, he only cares bc his scrub team got embarrassed and that hurt his pride. Thus, criticism of Harden commences. Seriously *** ALL the haters!!
So, let me see if I have this correct: Lebron chose to miss the playoffs because he can't do what Harden is doing, or because he can, but thought it wasn't fair to the game.
I haven't yet but my dream is to grab a courtside seat to witness myself. Closest I've been is 15-20 rows back which isn't the same. Not even close I'm sure.
I mean...Im not trying to pick a fight, but I dont like the way you worded this. No matter what rule change they make Harden will still be great because hes one of the best offensive players in history.
Harden causes players to foul him and he can score thru the contact. This **** is so stupid. Players have been trying to draw contact and get fouled forever.
I check the comments here before watching one of these things. Thanks for the community service brehs. Ban OP.
Giannis is also exploiting the game. Harden exploits it mostly with his skills. Giannis exploits the NBA mostly with his physical. If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.
