Last season, he put one of the greatest season by a SG ever, Jordan included. So top 5, maybe even replacing Wade in the top 3 or 4, is definitely possible. But most of the analyst are correct that Harden is at the crossroad of his career. Will he me a 'me first' player and look to get the best stats possible or will he sacrifice some of his numbers to win a championship? If this season is indicative to what the future hold for Harden then it looks to be the later, unfortunately. He had a golden opportunity to become a better two way player, leader and let Ty control the ball more but instead, we got some meaningless 40 point performances, terrible defense and people questioning his leadership early in the season. There is time for him though. Before last season, people were ready to roast Harden all season long but he came in focused and quickly shut up the doubters, and he has been better lately. If he can fully transform into that kind of player then top 5 is no question his destiny.
Michael Jordan had a lower career eFG% than James Harden. Anyone here dare want to tell me with a straight face that James Harden is a more efficient scorer than MJ? That's how useless eFG% is in determining the more efficient scorer. 162 NBA players with a higher career eFG% than the greatest scoring guard of all time.
It's okay to be wrong man you don't have to keep moving the goal posts. You originally said Wade was more efficient than Harden. You are wrong about that. Wades best year in TS% is only better than Harden's 2 Worst years. Harden's peak effective field goal percentage is higher than Wades highest. And we don't even know if we have seen the best of Harden yet. Sure Wade is slightly better at 2 point field goals and about 4% better at field goals at the rim, but that doesn't make him more efficient. Efficiency is efficiency. Jordan played in a different era and frankly played a less efficient offensive game for a good chunk of his career. In his early prime years MJ was a monster of efficiency, but as his career went on his efficiency declined. And anyhow efficiency wasn't what made Jordan the greatest. And I'm not arguing that being more efficient makes you the better player. I already openly said it. Wade at this point is better than Harden and most likely by the end of Harden's career Wade will still be considered better, but by no means will he be considered more efficient. Which is exactly what you said. Just because Omri is shooting out of this world on a very small sample size doesn't make the stat irrelevant. Obviously over their career, a more significant sample, we know Omri isn't the efficient player he is showing to be this year.
It is pretty clear up to this point that Harden cannot co-exist with a traditional point He has to play with a 3 and D guy PG and the target group gets smaller management has to think about getting a player at PF the only spot (next to SF) that can be upgraded
Are you seriously putting TMac on the level of Wade? TMac must be one of the more overrated basketball players of all time. he won a scoring title sure, but failed at basketball - he is more of a Rudy Gay type (stat stuffing, volume chucking loser). Harden's best season is already better than TMacs, and his 4 best seasons are better than TMacs 4 best, AND Harden can still get better.
I like James Harden, but until he can prove to play both ends of the court, I might even have to give a 1 up on Tmac over James. Tmac is also someone I agree was just a volume Chucker but at James rate this season, he's starting to look just like that. I love Jerry West's quote about Kobe Bryant at his last game in Oracle Arena. "And I've always been a very harsh judge of talent, because if you don't play the game on both ends of the court and if you don't play hard every night, I'm probably not going to be in love with you as a player. I'm going to respect you because you're good, but these players are unique."-Jerry West He is definitely someone I see as being a great judge of talent. Unless James can miraculously start doing it all well he might make it to top 20 but he's not beating those guys on that Espn top 10 list.
its hilarious...just sit back and watch the show. Idiot 1 feeding the ignorance of idiot 2. When did common sense become so hard to come by.
1) 3PT 2) Handchecking Three's increase efficiency if shot at a decent % (see Morey philosophy). Jordan didn't shoot many and didn't them well. No handchecking makes every shot easier (potentially more efficient). Easier scoring is the exact reason Stern changed the rule to begin with. So yeah, easier nowadays to beat perimeter players' shooting stats from years past.
It's hilarious. Just sit back and watch the show. Idiot 1 and idiot 2 don't know what efficiency means. When did common sense become so hard to come by?
It's no coincidence the first season ('00) handchecking was eliminated featured the most perimeter players in the Top 10 PPG in league history. The trend has continued ever since.
Zone (or quasi-zone) defense killed post players more than the abolition of hand checking helped perimeter players. Ask Hakeem. The only way to defend him was Seattle's illegal defense. Now every team can play that defense and it's legal.
Harden's one of the most efficient volume scorers of all time. TO's and defensive effort is a legitimate concern. His efficiency isn't.
Ask Hakeem how zone hurt him vs how handchecking helped perimeter players. Scoring stats suggest handchecking made a bigger difference from '99 to '00 than '02 (when illegal defense was eliminated) compares to '01. Regardless, when specifically comparing MJ (a perimeter player) to current perimeter players, the points I introduced are very relevant.
So those past season he was lucky? LOL. I question his leadership and his drive sometimes, but putting up those types of numbers in consecutive seasons after becoming the best play on a newly traded team? I think the wear and tear is slowing him down in some aspects as his game is physical not athletic. Don't confuse explanations with excuses.
Hardens a bum he has no offense all he do is flop no shot no defense no moves this bum is pure garbage and I have been saying this since day 1
All i know is that in the biggest stages, he shrinks. Has always been subpar in the playoffs. Mental lapses, poor work ethic, lack of leadership. All time great my ___
