James Harden forgotten by ESPN's "analysts" in their MVP forecast

The story was basically created by this one gif:





Then people started retroactively going back to find any other bad defensive plays he's had to make him look even worse.

 

Why no love for Howard? Harden and Jones are atrocious defenders. Lin, Parsons, and DMo are nothing special. Howard, Asik, and Beverley are the only defensive players and the Rockets are a top 11 defense.

 

I understand all of this. I'm just saying that for your defense to become the joke of the nba, there is a good reason for it. The reason...it's THAT BAD! Otherwise there would be gifs of all the other terrible defenders in the NBA. James is so gifted offensively that I think it makes up for his defense to a point. I think we can always be a great team even with his lack of effort on D, but I don't think we can ever be a TRUE contender unless he sells out as a two way player. Maybe he will for the playoffs. I guess we'll find out.

 

Love is a bad defender. Curry, Dirk, Dragic aren't good either.

You don't have to be an average defender to be an MVP candidate.

Maybe Harden really is that bad, or maybe his reputation has taken on a life of it's own.

 

Give it a break. It's DH's d and o that got the rockets to the 5th seed. Last year, the team was one goal tend from JO away from lottery pick.

 

It's comical how many people on here love to rag on Harden but give free passes to other players on other teams. I guess the grass is always greener... Harden's defense is terrible but there's no denying his overall impact and just how incredibly clutch this guy has been to really carry this team to HCA in the west. There's absolutely no argument you can make that Love deserves an MVP vote and Harden doesn't, not to mention 4 or 5 other players on the list.

 

Minnesota fans would disagree that Harden is a worse defender then Love. Warriors fans would disagree that Harden is a worse defender then Lee or Curry. The problem is we see over evaluate Harden's D too much and make it seem far worse then it really is. He is flawed defensively, but is in no way the worst defender in the league. Harden has a bigger body then most guards, so he has to exert more energy to move his feet. He also gets caught standing when he is trying to catch his breath. It's who he is and will not get better at it so deal with it...

 

Looks like Harden and Howard both have something to prove. This is a good thing.

 

Who cares about ESPN's 2013/14 MVP rankings? They are manipulating the meaning of NBA MVP to the opinions of what these "analysts" THINK the MVP vote really means.

IMO, if you polled the GM's and they were honest, Harden would be the 3rd most valuable player in the NBA behind Lebron and Durant.

If you are build a team to contend LONG TERM its -

1. Lebron
2. Durant
3. Harden
4. Davis
5. Griffin
6. Love
7. Curry
8. George


-If you are looking at who had the best year in contrast to their talent & their team, then yes I could see people saying Dragic had a better year, but that's modulating the meaning of MVP. If that's the case than you might as well vote Nick Young as 6MOY because of his value to his team as a 6MOY, or vote MKW as MVP because he's their most valuable player.

If the question is value to the team, or is it value in the league. Dragic's value to his team is not comparable to value in the league... not even close.... and I LOVE Gogi. But lets not forget that he wouldn't be putting up historic type of number on the Heat, Spurs, OKC, or even the Rockets.

So Rockets fans-

Who really cares??? We know almost certainly that Harden's real value is somewhere right behind Lebron and Durant. He could be the 3rd best player in the league for a long time. Thats good enough for me knowing damn well that the Rockets aren't getting Lebron or Durant most likely ever.

 

Anyone who doesn't think Harden didn't have an MVP caliber season obviously didn't watch him play. Yes, his defensive effort was non-existent at times, but look at what he did offensively for this team, especially after January 1. And for a guy even Rockets fans piled on for not being clutch, the dude has become almost automatic when they need a game-tying or winning shot.

 

Harden is not likable as others. He lacks soft skills and charisma. He's not a leader, yet. But if you base of contribution to the team, he deserves the mention of MVP, despite his sometimes poor defense efforts.

 

Exactly . even curry and dirk play better defense. Scoring alone will not give u consideration

 

corey brewer 51pts

 

You can not have two MVPs in the same team. The part reason for Harden is not a leading MVP player because of Howard. Harden would be on the top 5 if we do not have Howard, and the team has the same record as right now.

 

McHale has to hide him away on defense instead of guarding opposing teams shooting guard. Watching JJ redick school james hurt his rep.

 

Love for a MVP is a joke. If the team is not in the playoff, then no a player in that team should be a MVP, even the idiot TNT Barkely would agree with it.

 

I agree, especially with the playoffs coming, f**k all the naysayers, no way in hell Harden should be left out of there. Oh, and F**k ESPN, too.

 

Irrelevant - not this thread, ESPN. I know I am not the only one who tunes into ESPN after a game to check out the Rockets highlights, only for there to be NONE, game after game. Even the games I actually suffer through online, where Harden or Howard (the two marquis guys) have thunderous dunks, or a great stat line...NADA. F^kc ESPN.

 

Agreed, I will say, Charles Barkley won the MVP in 93 and the only other superstar with worse defense was Wilkens and now Harden.