If LeBron cant make the playoffs his 1st year in the west, Harden deserves more credit.

pls no excuses... he most prolly got the injury because he wasnt used to playing hard night in night out

this is not the east coasting tour son

he had to play the real opponents here instead of tankings teams gauntlet of the east... at least half of that shitty conference is tanking every year

 

There’s no questioning hardens regular season brilliance. I’m still pretty sure they would’ve made the playoffs if Lebron was healthy. Also important to note every other player from lebrons draft class is pretty much done.

The main thing this does is shut up guys like cowherd who say, “big deal it’s December, Westbrook and Harden do this all the time Lebron does it in May and June”. Well Russ and Harden have to do that sometimes to keep the team winning

 

NOT
its the conference hes playing in...he had a red carpet to the finals for a decade now playing in the leastern conference PLUS he always had 2 all star teammates to relie on unlike this year

 

none of what u said changes what I posted...the Lakers are not a playoff team because Bron missed 18 games and they imploded while he was out

Bron at age 34 can’t lead a team to the playoffs in the WC if he misses 18 straight games in the middle of the season...Rockets aren’t making the playoffs if Harden missed 18 straight games either which as durable as he is, could happen when he gets to Lebron’s age

 

harden would've taken that crappy lakers roster to a 4th seed and given the organization its first nba championship.

 

it changes nothing in vacuum but it changes everything in the light of the topic of this thread...lebron picked up all the credits in the world because he played vs shitty competition playing on the most stacked teams while harden is having exactly opposite of all that..playing vs toughest competition while having almost none of the allstar help...

harden would of done the same in lebrons place and a lot more and lebron couldn't have replicated what harden has been doing for years if he was in his place

 

Bron is capable of replicating what Harden has been doing when he was in his 20’s, but during the later stages of his career, nah

Harden’s playoff rep would look a lot different if he had been playing in the East all this time...much easier to “choke” against GS and SA than it is to choke against all those EC teams

sh*t, the 16-17 Rockets could’ve had a chance of making the finals if they played in the East

 

Tine to take your talents to South Beach...

...and retire.

 

I know this is a fairly general statement, but...

Ball / Rondo
Harden / Bullock
Ingram / KCP
Kuzma / Stephenson
McGee / Chandler

That's 10 deep. I could honestly see that team challenge Golden State, and I'm not even being a Harden-only fan, or whatever.

Ball can defend the PGs/SGs and can create. McGee has the length to be a pseudo-Gobert. Chandler is probably the best backup 5 in the league. Ingram and Kuzma are fantastic offensive weapons. You'll always have a ballhandler in Ball/Rondo/Harden. Bullock and KCP can be the 3pt specialists.

In fact, a Ball / Harden / Stephenson / Ingram / Kuzma lineup = everyone can create their own shot.

Harden throwing lobs all day to Chandler / McGee, or finding KCP / Bullock in the corner, or playing a PnP game with Ingram, or finding a cutting Kuzma.

SWEET MOTHER OF GOD

 

Nah. It's poorly built with mediocre shooting, defenses would be able to collapse on him a lot. Kuzma is a negative on defense which negates his offense. Ingram is a bonehead who doesn't know how to make winning plays. Ball is a nightmare for a superstar given he can be totally ignored unless the ball is in his hands (which means it's not in your superstar's hands). Ball's value is a mini-star on a second unit when your primary creator is missing.

You need 2.5 to 3 creators to contend - and creator means someone who is a high threat to score AND assist. Every additional creator after that creates bickering and wastes the chance to surround your creators with people who can convert the opportunities they're given by those creators.

Despite how poorly constructed they are, Harden would take them to the playoffs. He is the true King James.

 

Why are you trying to be fair to LeBron, he is in the West now and doesn't deserve fairness.

 

I feel all dirty after reading some posts in this thread. With or without Queen Jamie, “Fakers Suck”! Nuff said...

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As far as LA definitely making the playoffs with LeBron:

1) The risk of injury goes with a player with his age and mileage.

2) They have a win % with LeBron that would have them at a pace of the 7/8 seed.

3) His GM trade requests led to locker room drama which contributed to losses.

4) LA had one of the easiest schedules in basketball when they had a top 4 record.

 

I don't see how you can conclude they would have done well against that schedule with LeBron when you look at some of the teams they have verb losing to recently....with LeBron.

 

I disagree with the Laker apologist in this thread. Lakers with heathy bron still would have struggled , as they are currently are now

 

Harden = 45 wins

Lebum = 35 wins

Without faried and rivers, Lakers have better support casts.

 

This post is garbage. The lakers are not in because of injuries

 

Lebron is only just now starting to move around like he did before the injury, and they still aren’t healthy. Lonzo balls defense and the way he pushes the tempo is sorely missed

 

lol rockets and other teams suffer plenty of injuries annualy and they still make playoffs
eg how about last years celtics ?