For all the short-sighted people that think just because Harden is not 2015 Steph Curry (who is?) - that we should TRADE him or that he SUCKS - From 2007 - 2011 the word was that Dirk was soft. Couldn't win. wasn't Duncan or Shaq and was just doomed to be a great player but didn't have 'what it takes' (whatever the **** that means?) to win a ring. Then the magical 2011 playoff season for the Mavs happened and he finally had the perfect team and the perfect time and they won. My point is this - James Harden is a great but not perfect Michael Jordan player, we know this. But he's also someone that we would highly regret trading. Because he's 26 and we still have time to build a great team around him. He's going to be good for the next 8 years. I mean no one thought from 2005 - 2008 that Kobe was ever going to do anything again either until they got Pau and all of a sudden built a team that can win. Morey knows that as long as you have a superstar, you're always hanging around and have a chance to compete. Harden has already proven last year that he can carry a great team. I think everyone knew that we were nowhere near as good as the Warriors. We overachieved. I think the same is true of Melo tbh. In the right situation like Dirk had in 2011, he can carry a team to a ring.
Barkley never won anything but I think he was a better player than Harden now. He was about as tall as Harden.
As off as his shooting has been to start the year, he still ranks 4th in the NBA in ESPN's Player Rating (http://espn.go.com/nba/seasonleaders/_/league/nba) and number 10 in PER (http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/statistics) Those are just stats - but the point is - don't act like he's AWFUL.
Effort, character and teamplay were never what Dirk was criticized for though, your comparison doesn't make sense when actually looking at why Harden is being viewed the way he is. Dirk always gave 100% for his teams, the critics only doubted he would actually lead a team through the playoffs. With Harden it's all about mentality and actually trying to win with effort, team basketball and by being a true leader and role model.
If Dirk were on the rockets their would be major questions about everything Nature of the Clutchfans Rocket River
Harden is still scoring like a monster, its just that he's inconsist and lacks focus. He is the only superstar player with a bad fg% the second player on the scoring list with a lower percentage is Carmelo at 14 and after that Gallinari at 34... He is also 2nd in turnovers behind only Westbrook who is averaging 10 assist per game. If Harden got his FG% and turnovers under control that would do a whole lot for him. And then there's the defense.... The defense we know he is capable of playing but isn't. I still have faith in Harden, that he can get a 2 to 1 assist ratio, and shoot at least 45/35% for the year while playing last years level of defense or better. He has all the talent to do it, he's just not focusing and putting in the effort. If he can do those 3 things he will be again a top 3 player in the league, and high in the MVP voting list. Harden has a lot of competition this year Westbrook, Durant, Curry, Leonard, George, Griffin and James are all having monster seasons.
Not really. Dirk was criticized as a poor defender. But he was never criticized to be lazy on defense. Dirk was criticized as soft. But he was never criticized of not playing hard. Dirk was criticized as not a vocal leader. But he was never criticized to have attitude problems. Dirk was thought to be not good enough to lead a championship team. But he was never criticized of not caring about winning.
Harden has the talent no doubt. Its his heart, focus, maturity and leadership that's missing. Will he improve with these things? Only time will tell but there are no guarantees.
Are we 100% sure that Harden is a "party animal"? Are is that just your opinion that you are running as a fact? BTW Going to parties does not equal party animal.
Everyone has been to parties in their lives Harden frequented strip clubs until he found media darling and enfant terrible Khloe.
This. I also get tired of people trying to compare Harden to pre-championship Hakeem. Hakeem never had the character issues Harden is getting criticism for now.
Yes. And we have all been three sheets to the wind. The next day you simply do not perform as well. I continue to wonder if James tied one on prior to warriors game 5 last year. He really performed like he was hung over. Obviously I have no proof. But I do have experience with trying to perform hung over. If indeed Harden is going to parties even just occasionally and then showing up to work hungover and not at his best then that is pathetic. We as fans deserve more than that immature attitude. NBA players. Especially superstars are like ferraris. Their engines need high quality 93 octane fuel to run. Getting torn up and showing up to work hung over is like sticking 87 octane old gas in the tank. Their engines knock and sputter. You can't win like that. If this is James I hope he turns it around. At some point in his life he will look back at the opportunity he is pissing away and regret not competing at his very best level. He competed last year. This year. He isn't competing like he could. And yea. Maybe he isthe Second leading scorer. Who cares We are not getting the best of James right now. Curry turned in to a machine over the summer and harden regressed. Sure he has the right to a personal life. But it sure looks like it is affecting his job performance I bet my left one that somewhere in a corner office at Addidas they are looking at that contract and experiencing a spike in blood pressure. Dream needed Islam. Maybe Dirk was a flower. But they both were NOT satisfied with where they were at. Is James?
