There is this narrative that Harden does not perform in the play offs. I almost started to believe he was terrible in the play offs listening to the media. In every segment about Harden they continue this narrative. Even in the MVP discussion during the year people always mentioned, yes but he has to show it in the play offs since he does not deliver in the play offs. However I do not believe this is really true. Let's look at the numbers when Harden Played for Houston: Harden in Play offs PPG 27,49 RPG 5,47 APG 7,18 SPG 1,96 BPG 0,49 FG% 0,412 3P% 0,328 FT% 0,882 Harden in regular season PPG 27,87 RPG 5,85 APG 7,74 SPG 1,71 BPG 0,57 FG% 0,443 3P% 0,363 FT% 0,858 I would state that the numbers are really similar, a slight drop in FG% but I think that is the case with most players (For example Westbrook FG% has dropped over 4 % in the play offs compared to the regular season since Durant is gone). Especially players who have to create the whole offense like Harden has had to do in the previous years. Defenses really focus on those stars and it makes dominating with a good efficiency more difficult. Lets look at the FG%'s of some top players in regular season compared to Play offs. Westbrook: Play offs: .413 vs regular season: .435 Lebron James: Play offs: .489 vs regular season: .504 Curry Play: offs: .454 vs regular season: .477 Durant Play: offs: 470 vs regular season: .490 Lillard Play: offs: 400 vs regular season: .432 All these players have a lower FG% in the play offs compared to the regular season. So why is Harden singled out as a play off under performer when he is statistically playing at a similar level as during the season? And the drop is FG% is consistent with other players. It just bugs me that people always mention the narrative that Harden under performs during the play offs when in fact he does not. Does he have off games in the play offs, of course. but so does every other star player. Since he has been the only star player on the rockets an off game meant a loss (as Westbrook is learning these last 2 years). Yes last year game 6 was bad (I do believe he had a concussion), but Harden has delivered on so many important games in the play offs during his career you cannot perform in every game. People focus on these few bad games (people mention game 5 against Utah, but do not talk about game 1 against Minesota, which was just as important if not more). The national media will never look at facts but shall we as Rocket fans please stop with the narrative that Harden is an under performer in the play offs?
Is there a standard deviation statistic in the NBA? My my point is that sometimes, especially in the playoffs, it might be better for a player to be consistently good, rather than peaks and valleys of great to terrible. I'm definitely not going to say Harden is awful in the playoffs like some, but I don't think the statistical averages really tell the whole story. My eyes tell me that Harden plays some of his worst most inexplicably bad games in the playoffs, and I can say pretty confidently that it one the number one reason we weren't able to advance to the Western Conference Finals last season. So if the net result of his playoff jekyll and hyde routine is us not advancing, then it should be fair game to criticize him about it.
Problem is Harden's bad games are eye popping bad like WTF. Game 6 against Spurs, Game 6 against Clippers, 13 turnover game, 2/18 game (at least there he was engaged defensively)
His average is still around 28-29 ppg because he has couple 40-45 performances and then two 24-26 and one 18 or 12 pt game. It evens out at 27-29 ppg.
Just beat me to it. This argument about James is a thing only because of those 2/3 games he had in the past which were really really bad overall Personally i'd still take out of the list the 2/18 game cause like you said even if he couldn't score, he was still active, playing good defense, passing the ball well, still a meh game overall, but not even close to game 6 against the Spurs ecc...
I know but that happens to every NBA star. Yes I know, but is that a problem? You lose the bad game and win the others, which means you advance. Yes and in some big moments he has been amazing. Other stars also have bad games at big moments, but thay are forgiven but Harden is not?
That narrative all started when OKC played Miami in the finals and James disappeared. The miraculous comeback game against the Clippers a cpl years back and Gm 6 against the Spurs last season only helped that narrative grow legs.
Kobe wouldve definitely taken more than 11 points in last year's game 6. It doesnt matter how many shots you've missed for the game, it only takes 1 to go in for a superstar to heat up.
This year the team won games with his 18 pt and 12 pt output. They lost 2 games where he scored 29 and 32 with mediocre to below mediocre accuracy, the team effort went to hell and the opponent was better.
The difference is that Harden rubs a lot of people the wrong way for whatever reason so he catches more flack. I don't think he deserves it, but he is an easy target so people pile on.
he has had WOAT type games in the playoffs, and people latch onto those 3 or so truly horrible games and let it overshadow his overall body of work I still think Harden’s best playoff run was in 2015: 27, 6, and 8 with 44/38/92 shooting splits and TS% of 62%...he got to the line 10.5 times a game and had some truly dominating performances games 1, 2, and 4 against GS are the type of games he’s gonna have to have in this upcoming series
His shooting percentage is crap in the playoffs....yes, he's bad in the playoffs. You are not going to say Westbrick had an awesome playoffs because he's averaging 40ppg shooting 35% now would you? 4% is a hell of a difference. Also, it's not the overall stats that count, it's the moment. And sad to say, harden had some horrible moments.
he has played poorly in games in the playoffs. its true. so do many other players but that in no way makes harden immune for people to say hes playing badly. he gets held accountable just like any other guy out there. you're judged by your performance and the results that go along with it. it doesn't make anyone who is rooting for harden and the team any less of a supporter the #hardenpolice will make there rounds regardless though
It's because Harden has very high highs and very low lows. It's easy to forget about great games, especially when one is not emotionally invested in the player or team. It is even easier to remember the terrible games, because that's all everyone wants to talk about.
he did what he can considering he had pbev, slou, dekker, & harrell stop whining unless you can come up with a superstar willing and capable single handedly carrying the rockets farther last year in the reg season & playoffs harden never held back the rockets all these years.. its the other way around
