Full Highlights: James Harden's 37 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists vs. Knicks 1/3/2014

Firstly, congrats to Harden. If he can play like that every game then Houston has a superstar.

However, the win was circumstantial:

- An injured NY lost the game they should have won (this makes it their 3rd or 4th consecutive loss to Houston), Houston got lucky
- NY's perimeter defense is terrible, with the exception of Shumpert who played a great game by his standards (26pts, 4 rebounds, 6 3-pointers)
- Harden took advantage of the mismatch with Udrih and Bargnani, hardly defensive players, even though the rest of the team did a great job setting it up NY didn't really have anybody else apart from Tyson Chandler who already has his hands full with Howard
- When NY's best player, Anthony, is guarding you know NY is going to lose

So we know that Harden plays great against weak perimeter defensive teams and this is where he gets his inflated numbers from, but come the stronger team with equal or superior matchup he has some kind of odd injury or a cold.

It's still not good enough for me.

 

Trade him.

I really don't like watching the way he plays.

 

Lin was keeping the stats from the bench. You should have asked him for clarity.

 

now I making up stuff nobody said anything about Lin but YOU, all I was saying was dude takes most of the shots in 4th quarter, including the free throw line that's it. I haven't saw the stats but anyone with eyes would know he has the highest usage rate on the team during the 4th

 

Good one! Feels good to know I didn't bash harden just pointed something out

 

Rockets on average get to the free throw line 9 times in the 4th quarter, Harden averages 3 free throws in the 4th quarter.

I think this is what is known as an "eye lie" and not an "eye test". Your eye test is way off and misleads a lot of other posters into thinking Harden scores a lot of 4th quarter points by taking a lot of shots, which is simply not true at all.

 

Ok cool thanks for the stats

 

My eye test just identified an obvious bias on your part

 

Alrighty then.

 

Enjoy playing with your Lin hair doll

 

He's in the closer role and he is the guy the team is looking to get the ball to. He has to learn how to use his team mates more on some plays and when to go ISO, against which types of teams and defenders. Didn't work as well against Sacremento where he made critical mistakes, worked against the Knicks and he looked like he was in a good rhythm that a defender could not disrupt.

 

LOL wut?

 

Quoted for epicness.

 

Agreed! Unless he gets 36, 6, and 7 every night, I'm not impressed.

 

I prefer Harden to focus more on his defense. I think we can blow Knicks instead of game like this.

 

This thread pretty much perfectly illustrates the ridiculousness of some of Lin's fans.

 

I am pretty sure he has lit up Sefalosha/Lebron/Wade before.

With great scorers, does it really matter who is guarding them? Good team defense is the key to slowing down scorers.

 

Can you imagine if it was Lin instead of Harden that put up those numbers last night? Jesus...

 

Lin's put up numbers like that. Just not as many times. But people bringing in Lin are ridiculous and tiring. It's unnecessary.

 

Harden's consistency with his scoring is amazing. He scores in a multitude of ways. I am sure his talents would fit almost any offensive scheme.

I did like seeing him having a more measured game. He didn't really turn it up until he saw the team sputtering a bit. Harden ended a couple of Knicks runs. He is very reliable, instant offense.