But we also lost 4-2. So for some posters that means he needs to be depressed and lock himself in his closet for at least 2 days.
Too bad it's a team sport and as good as he is individually, that does not necessarily rub off on the teammates in the deeper Playoffs. In today's NBA you have to play fast and move well off the ball. Harden is probably one of the few not doing it and getting away with it but his team would not.
LOL! I'm not saying to that degree but let me see if I can make it plan for you. When people take things personal they act or react different than they normally would! Not using this as a barometer but since this is the only time we've publicly seen Harden take something personal, I'll use this as a scenario. When Nippsy Hussle died Harden tweeted out this is the "WORST DAY" of my life! He missed practice, all of which is understandable....HE TOOK IT PERSONAL! For a day or two, he was different! It effected him. Although, loosing to the Warriors is much, much less of importance but still, it's his profession and it's a team he's been trying to concur for over 5yrs!!! BUT THE NEXT DAY, HE WAS OUT PARTYING. It seems like Tillman took the loss harder the Harden did. If he would've averaged 100/20/20 it still didn't matter because the Rockets lost. It's a team game
I agree. That's why I said he (or she idk) should no longer spend money on NBA products. It's never that serious lol
I'm glad he has a way to forget and prepare him mentally for summer grind. Would you all be ok if he was on a one-week fishing trip instead? To each his own...
It sounds like you're saying YOU can't do it. That has nothing to do with Harden's ability to do it. I certainly can. I've seen tons of people do it. There are different types of humans you know.
Nothing. You were just touching on the subject that as long as he keeps on getting better he should go to parties. And I said it does not matter if he individually increases his stats as his team are still at the same level. Clearly it's the system. Going to the parties obviously neither influences his game negatively nor contributes positively.
Oh it’s plain as day to me. Let’s try this. Nipsey dies, Harden misses practice but still played his next game as scheduled. Some people might have seen this as Harden not mourning enough but for myself and other players basketball is an outlet from everything. So it’s obvious that going out and partying is Hardens outlet from basketball and that’s ok. We all mourn differently for whatever ails you. As many pointed out Jordan was notorious about drinking and playing poker until wee ours in the morning.
Some people just want to see harden deal with failure differently. It’s not that partying means you don’t give a fu....but since we can all generally agree that it’s a mentality issue that is holding him back, changing that begins with dealing with failure in a different way. I know you have had one of those moments before in your maturing process when you realize “what I have done in the past isn’t working, I have to change” so is it fair to kill him for going out? probably not, but it is possible to view it as an indicator he doesn’t believe he needs to change things up to reach that final level.
that sounds like a whole bunch of arm chair psychologist drivel. Harden needs to look at the way he plays basketball, watch some damn tape and figure out how to make better basketball decisions. Him changing aspect of his personal life has nothing to do with that. By your logic, if he starts jerking off with his right hand instead of left that's an indicator of his maturing process, because he's dealing with failure differently right?
Yeah I don't know man. People deal with different things in different ways. It's fine for the poster I was responding to if he can't do it that way or doesn't like to deal with things that way. I don't see this thing about Harden needing to reach some final level. This is the final level for him. He's been more successful at leading a team to beat the Warriors than any other superstar in the NBA. He's been as successful as Kevin Durant was at beating the Warriors before joining them. This is it, this is Harden. Elite everything, some glitchiness when it comes to picking moments to impose his will vs be a contrarian. Do you want it for $40m or not? I sure do. I know 29 GM's who would. He would have to be the greatest player in history to lead this team past these Warriors. I don't need him to be the greatest player in history to give him an A+ for effort (in relation to his capacity). He's missing something random, a quality that can be found in minimum contract players as much as star players. A quality that Durant and Lebron were missing too when they didn't have enough talent to beat their opponents. Let's get him a real sidekick so he doesn't bolt like those guys. Let's NOT nitpick at actions he takes which could have hundreds of different implications and insist it's the reason why we lost to the Golden State Warriors over and over again.
That all he wants to do, That is the difference between him and Kobe Bryant this guy doesn't care take it or leave it, he just want to party.
I don't disagree with anything here except referring to the bolded portion as a trait that is something random and unmalleable . It is the exact thing that caused the loss, and has caused his other failures. It is what separates Harden from other more successful superstars. If you are willing to say "oh well he just doesn't have it" that's fine, but I am not going to excuse him of that. I have never seen Durant as passive as harden can get in winning time. Winning or loosing aside, thats just not true. And when LeBron had his passive moments he was absolutely killed for it, changed it, and went on to succeed. Again, Lebron, had the heatles, so that was also a contributor to winning, but he also took the criticism about passivity and changed. So, you're right, teammates matter, but not unless 1 of 2 things happen: 1: Harden changes his mental issues, or 2: We bring a guy in who can actually lead this team in the biggest moments. 2. is obviously not happening. So, Harden needs to continue maturing, and seeing him in his normal routine doesn't really indicate he believes the same. And if it's true that (as you say) he is not capable, then man these next several years are gonna suck, because no one is coming through that door to do the job harden can't. Edit: I don't believe that it was the "exact" thing that caused the loss, it was a contributor among others though. I misspoke there.
I'm not sure I would call it drivel. I admit that it may not be a strong indicator, but he has to change something.....I understand where you are coming from though. It may not be the partying that leads to his issues, but I don't think it's asinine to think it is a possible window into his mindset.
This is just false though. There are no other superstars who have beaten Durant's Warriors. There is exactly one superstar who has beaten this Warriors dynasty, and that's Lebron James, and he was not the one who drained the series winning shot, and Durant hadn't joined yet. It's not a superstar quality. Plenty of superstars lack it. Plenty of role players have it. It's not something distinct to top 10 players. Also, the absence of it has not prevented superstars from winning titles other ways (see: Durant, Lebron). Harden faced an insurmountable task these 5 years. Just like Elon Musk is not going to land on Jupiter this year, James Harden was not going to beat the Warriors. What I'll give you is that in this specific series in 2019 a tiny window opened up where he should have taken the reins harder and imposed his will and he had the talent balance to have been able to beat them. AFAIC, that's 1 failure. That's what he's got. Every other season? Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson wouldn't have beaten the Warriors with Harden's supporting cast. Harden's glitchiness when it comes to taking control is NOT the reason we have lost to the Warriors several times. It's part of the reason we lost this season. Whatever you want to call it, what he brings is worth over $40m, and he is offensively historic, and he did put forth a stunningly unexpected defensive effort this season. This is Harden. Let's say he remains this way forever. Are you appreciative or not? I am.
I don't think anyone is arguing that partying contributes positively to his game. I simply disagree that a single party negates how hard he works otherwise.
