and it's not just the turnovers, Harden has been abysmal during clutch time this season and his shooting has been generally off. what keeps the positive narrative going for him is our team record, but from an individual standpoint Harden is not playing like a true MVP right now.
When harden don't try to score he becomes to predictable as they know he will pass instead therefore the turnovers...He needs to score to get better assist....
I said he needs to improve. He usually has two or three bad turnovers per game. So I'm not disagreeing.
Yep, but this is probably something we're better get used to because i don't think a coach can change that, at least in our enviroment...maybe a Pop in SA...but here i don't see this happen unless James works on himself because he wants to be better. Two days ago (but this happend other times) in Phoenix he yelled hard at Trez because he wasn't there in time for the help after Booker went past him (and with "went past him" i mean "James literally rolled a red carpet and let Booker attack the basket for free"), and that wasn't good imo, you cannot yell to someone else when you are totally embarassing.
Rockets got within 6 and he turned it over twice in a row. Everyone of james' live ball turnovers leads to opponents points. Addressing a issue does not make you a hater. James broke a record in turnovers last year, he's on pace to break his own record. He has to secure the ball. Everyone needs to stop pretending like harden is learning how to be a point guard. He's been playing point guard the pass two years. He also played alot of point guard next to westbrook and durant. I have no problem with turnovers when trying to make something happen. It's carelessness that bothers me. The plays where we throw the ball away and not get back on defense. Instead he holds his hands up expecting a whistle that never comes. This issue did not just start this year. It's a ongoing issue.
That type of play happens way too often. Sounds like I'm bashing him but I recognize him for the elite player he is. He just can't have turnover problems like that if we want win big, especially now that it seems unlikely we'll ever have him a true star partner. We have to rely on him too much for those turnover issues
He's deserves it too. He comes to play every single night. The thunder are winning and he's putting up monster #s
Just accepting Harden is who he is and the TO problem will probably always be there is just accepting he won't ever lead this team close to a championship. Being careless and playing with low IQ is not traits players who have lead their teams to contention/championships have shared. I'm thankful for Harden and he keeps this organization relevant and I believe he has the best team around him since being here. His mentality and approach to the game at times is troubling still and keeps a lower ceiling on this team in the long run unless he matures.
His mentality/approach to the game at times holds him back. No doubt he has the talent to go far but he doesn't have the mentality consistently enough yet. He's way too careless.
I still think these problems are fixable, but since we were on a winning streak I bet MDA didn't bring these issues up to Harden. But at certain point, Harden and MDA must address these problems before the playoffs begin, and maybe now is the time.
Obviously, can't even argue about how good James is, i love James, but sometimes he's really frustrating to watch. I would love to see some/more fire in him...i understand that he is who he is, but still...in the end i'm a Rockets fan, and i think the Rockets cannot win without the best Harden.
Harden from 2015 or even last year would have went out on his shield. This new harden is boring to watch i want more kobe and less nash
that's what I don't get. this year's Harden is probably the worst I've ever seen scoring wise, it's really frustrating. yeah be a playmaker by all means, but step up your scoring game dude, sometimes we need you to score 40 or more points.
Why is any criticism about our best player's game considered bad? We need MDA and other players to call Harden on his careless passing, lazy defensive lapses, lulls, not running back after getting the ball stolen and step up his scoring. People can b**** about Westbrook, but he's having triple-doubles with 40+ points and beating a good team in the Celtics while we are stuck with a guy playing slow and not aggressive a lot of the times who doesn't know when to step up his scoring it seems. Do something about it Harden or be known as a great stats guy who never lead his team like he should have. Harden is just too casual about all of this and still not serious about leading.
James Harden ALWAYS does this. It is part of the reason why my respect for him is really hard to earn mainly because of these two things 1)He almost ALWAYS yells at a teammate after HE commits a turnover. I'm sure there are times when it's his teammates' fault but ALWAYS? 2) Whenever he drives, misses a lay up and does not get a call, it's now a given certainty that he will crawl into a ball on the floor for 5-10 seconds holding a knee or ankle acting as if the no call was a crime against human rights... and then he will promptly get up as if he never got hit... Oh and this is happening when his team is playing 4 on 5 defense on the other end. I'm not being crazy here am I? Others have noticed these consistent patterns also, right? I just wish teammates yelled at him from time to time for ball watching and allowing his man to cut to the basket unintebded. Some players have the maturity to be coddled and never critisizing and still have a level head and do the right thing(LeBron). Some don't. I'm afriad Harden is being coddled too much living in a bubble where he is impervious to criticism.
