http://www.sbnation.com/2017/1/1/14...-james-harden-triple-double-53-points-rockets You can only admire James Harden. This man single-handedly saw how bad 2016 was, and on the last night of the year, tried to make it good again. There is no other way to describe his 53-point, 16-rebound, 17-assist triple-double on New Year’s Eve. Harden is having his best season to date, steering the Rockets past the Clippers into the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, and Saturday was an extreme example of how damn good he has been. He might be the best player in the league at understanding how to exploit defenders — whether he’s splitting them perfectly in a pick-and-roll or pulling up before they can stop their momentum to draw a foul. He doesn’t play basketball aggressively or with violence, but with extreme savvy and utmost precision. Everything is calculated, somehow, even in the heat of the moment, dozens and dozens of times per game. Saturday was a fattened, engorged version of Harden’s play all season. His game was the feeling you get after a huge Thanksgiving meal that forces you to slip into sweatpants by 7 p.m. No NBA player has ever recorded 50 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists in a game. Harden did all that plus a little, tying his career high in assists and setting one with his 53 points. The Knicks were even within three points with a few minutes to play, and Harden scored eight points with several more rebounds down the stretch to put them away for good. Harden recorded a triple-double on Friday, too. He’s producing them at a frightening clip, with eight now through 35 games. In another season, if Russell Westbrook wasn’t literally averaging a triple-double, that would get more attention. As it is, Harden’s play is unlocking the Rockets as an absolutely terrifying offense that can and will blitz any defense into a death via jump shots and layups. It’s Harden’s precocious drive-and-kicks and his ability to shed any other defender in the league if you give him a couple of screens that keeps the offense humming. And it’s his lightning quick lefty jumper that bails the team out when a possession does break down. That doesn’t happen much, though. The Rockets only take 12 percent of their shots on offense with less than seven seconds on the shot clock — something Mike D’Antoni has directly inspired from his success with the Suns last decade, of course. This is the season of ridiculous stat lines — mostly triple-doubles. Harden spearheaded the push on Saturday, the last day of 2016, but Westbrook is right there with him. He had an absurd evening himself on New Year’s Eve, recording a triple-double in the first half — the quickest he’s ever done it in his career. Where has the sanctity of the triple-double gone? The statline is so highly regarded that the official NBA application sends you a push notification every time it happens. They’re sending so many this season, they might have to reconsider. Besides Westbrook and Harden, even rising Bucks rookie Malcolm Brogdon recorded one on Saturday. Whatever the record is for triple-doubles in a season, this year will break it. Back to Harden: This man really put up 53 points, 17 assists, and 16 rebounds in a single game. Like, yo man, that ain’t right. You’re too good for this sport now. Sometimes college teams don’t even record those stats for an entire 40-minute game. James Harden is damn good. Go easy on those mere mortals.
Triple doubles are easier to come by because big men aren't taught how to box out anymore. Fundamentals aren't taught these days... and when you're not boxing out, speed will beat you every time. Notice how many guards are getting absurd rebound numbers? Nobody boxes out.
This is why I've been saying that Harden needs to have a legit statement game. He's had many very good games, but none of them made national headlines like his last game. These kinds of games are crucial for making your MVP case. Wanting that from Harden does not make you a Harden hater, smh.
Westbrook is grabbing 8.6 defensive rebounds per game. People are saying OKC's big men are trying to help him out in that category specifically by boxing out and letting him grab all the rebounds. Out of Harden's 8.1 rebounds, 6.8 are defensive. The gaudy rebounding numbers are not due to guards crashing the offensive glass. And big men are supposed to box out other big men, how on Earth are they supposed to box out guards at the same time? Guards are supposed to box out their own matchup.
Hardens insane back to back triple doubles saved 2016. 30 pts 12 assists 10 boards and 53points 16 boards 17 assists in a total combined minutes of 75 saved Christmas, new year and 2016. Beard to the rescue.
Big men aren't boxing out anyone... They standing around tipping the ball to each other, until a smaller, faster player comes and grabs it first.
4's and 5's routinely shoot 3's, end possessions at the 3 pt line waiting for the chance to shoot a 3, or are stuck playing defense on one of the aforementioned offensive scenarios. That + the proliferation of long or more non-traditional rebounding opportunities via the increase in 3's are the culprits you're seeking. James has adapted to this style of play better than just about everyone else; there is no quality deterioration boogeyman at play.
We need to get Harden out of here he a terrible teammate and is selfish and never plays D. lol. Where are all those people at?
jeremy lin fan site that's where they are bro u see them come when beard is struggling with they alternate ids out of nowhere
2016 could not be saved by the best of us. Harden could not bring back the dead, but what an individual accomplishment!
So you believe big men are boxing out near the 3pt line? Because all I said was they don't box out anymore. If your counter argument is that more big men hang out by the 3pt line, unless you believe they are boxing out out there, then what you said has nothing to do with what I said. If you don't think they are boxing out BECAUSE they are hanging out by the 3pt line, then that's fine, but that also supports my initial argument. I buy the long shot long rebound argument, but if a big man is boxing out correctly, he's not under the rim.
