Also, people act like it's completely unheard of for a superstar's teammates to compensate for him by doing more of the dirty work. That's where the term "role player" comes from. I agree that Harden would ideally be a monster on the defensive end like we were blessed with with Hakeem. Nevertheless....I was looking at ESPN's Real Plus Minus rankings the other day - I don't understand them but they are one of the only defensive stats I have access to - lo and behold, Mr. Klay Thompson has a worse DRPM than James Harden. Funny that I never hear jack about Klay's defense except how great it is. The scrutiny that Harden is under is crazy. 30 point triple double and he is still Satan incarnate. The role players here are just not that great of role players. We don't have anybody who can play D and consistently hit an open shot. Ariza has one month where he shoots lights out and 2-3 where he can't hit jack. Beverley is shooting well, but I'm afraid his defense is not that great anymore. The rest of the team kinda sucks - at both defense and shooting - excluding Howard & Capella since their role is not to shoot. I contend that that is Golden State and San Antonio's secret - they found a way to field TWO units of players who can both defend AND hit the open shot. The rest of the league has "specialists" who can do one or the other or scrubs (like the Rockets) who can do neither. It doesn't hurt that both teams have been able to way underpay their superstars. It's not easy to compete with a team paying Duncan $8M a year when you have to pay Howard $25M.
This forum needs more of this r****ded thread to fit this pathetic season. Not only Kawhi is a better player on both offense and defense than Harden already currently. But more importantly, he makes his teammates playing better around him. While playing with Harden, you constantly need to cover the defensive inefficiciency, and need to put up that pass from him with 1.58 seconds left on the shoot clock while watching him dancing the whole time, who the fork will want to play harder? Leader is not by loud voice, is by example.
The problem I have with some here is that they completely ignore Harden's near MVP season of last year. Completely. When Harden took one of the most injury riddled teams to the WCF last year, I guess he wasn't "Making players better" then. That having one bad season for his team instantly takes away everything he's accomplished for some show the knee-jerk reaction that fans are known for I guess.
He also had a horrible game last game and isn't playing defense. I guess what I'm saying is we know he CAN, he has the talent and skill. But will he actually put it together consistently and be an MVP candidate next year?
Leonard is flat out a better player than Harden, so yes. People are still underestimating Leonard because he's a Spur. Are they even watching his games? He's clearly their best player. Having a better season this year than Ginobili or Parker have ever had. He has no weaknesses. He's creating his own offense. He's DPOY and leading the league in 3pt%. He's doing exactly what he needs to do to win games, nothing less and nothing more. This guy could drop 25 a game if he wanted to.
He doesn't have to be. Pop has had him studying older MJ his whole time as a Spur and there's no reason why he can't dominate from the post and midrange. He gets better and better every season. I'm sure lawson going back to a proper role with starter minutes as the primary creator can look good on a team with Kawhi. Just need Dwight not to clog the middle.
I dunno, maybe give him and is team a chance to respond? When Kobe had a great season and his team was 8th I've never seen Laker fans throw the guy under the bus like people do Harden at every chance they get. He gets blamed for everything, look at my post going through possessions of the Warrior game, you will see that the defense as a team is broken. As a team it just is. When Harden is dedicated to dishing the ball and creating and his guys DON'T hit shots he's blamed for that too. I mean our whole strategy is to drive and kick and the guys he's kicking it out to are average shooters.
Exactly, you can tell who hasn't watched Leanord this year. He was already a FMVP last season but I wouldn't have done the trade. This year its not even close, he is superior to Harden in a cut and clear way.
Don't fool yourself. Harden's style of play + lack of offensive direction from coaching staff is the reason Harden has to carry so much of the load.
Yup. It's an entirely ineffective scheme, yet many people on here blindly believe that Harden is single handedly capsizing the entire defense from top to bottom by himself. It's quite amusing.
There you go, sweetheart. Happy Valentine's Day: Also, people act like it's completely unheard of for a superstar's teammates to compensate for him by doing more of the dirty work. That's where the term "role player" comes from. I agree that Harden would ideally be a monster on the defensive end like we were blessed with with Hakeem. Nevertheless....I was looking at ESPN's Real Plus Minus rankings the other day - I don't understand them but they are one of the only defensive stats I have access to - lo and behold, Mr. Klay Thompson has a worse DRPM than James Harden. Funny that I never hear jack about Klay's defense except how great it is. The scrutiny that Harden is under is crazy. 30 point triple double and he is still Satan incarnate. The role players here are just not that great of role players. We don't have anybody who can play D and consistently hit an open shot. Ariza has one month where he shoots lights out and 2-3 where he can't hit jack. Beverley is shooting well, but I'm afraid his defense is not that great anymore. The rest of the team kinda sucks - at both defense and shooting - excluding Howard & Capella since their role is not to shoot. I contend that that is Golden State and San Antonio's secret - they found a way to field TWO units of players who can both defend AND hit the open shot. The rest of the league has "specialists" who can do one or the other or scrubs (like the Rockets) who can do neither. It doesn't hurt that both teams have been able to way underpay their superstars. It's not easy to compete with a team paying Duncan $8M a year when you have to pay Howard $25M.
