[The Ringer] James Harden is pushing basketball limits

I vote this article THE MOST BIASED pro-Harden article of his entire career.

In seriousness, it's THE BEST article that we'll ever read of him, until he carries us to a championship.

 

I'm a firm believer that his thinking goes like this (whether in PnR or iso from a switch):

1. first he wants to drive for a layup. (McHale era)
2. Secondly, wants to throw an Oop, if he draws the big. (Howard wouldn't comply, but Capela did)
3. Third, he wants to pass for a corner three, if he collapses the defense. (needed to learn the MDA system)
4. 4th, the wants to shoot a three by himself -- step back (to beat the league switching the picks, zoning the lane, and otherwise forcing him to give up the ball by taking away the first two options)
5. And he knows he'll get fouled a lot in the process of each of those options.

I base this belief on his own progression of skillset as he improves through the years. His improvement is basically in that order. Defenses have dictated him either giving up the ball or shooting threes in ISO himself.

Try this:

• Next time we think he's settling for threes, look at the defense to see if the big dropped or they are otherwise zoning the lane.
  
  
• NBA defenses today -- with the eradication of illegal defense rules -- can build a wall (Pops does this to Harden for sure), or otherwise have more zoning-principle options, to make him give up the ball (whether passively or in motion) or shoot over the defense.
  
  
• So, Harden stepped up the accuracy of his Step-Back threes...and he's is shooting something like 45% on step-back threes (including last year), so will launch 10+, and like it.

​

The end result is he's perfecting ways to prevent new-age defensive schemes from taking the ball out of his hands. The Step-back is the final conclusion, counter to anything, which should form a loop back to his #1 option above, the drive, which opens up #2, then #3. Rinse and Repeat.

And with that, Paul, Ego and Rivers learn to provide relief, especially for the Harden rest time and when he gets Doubled. And when defensive are insistent on making him give up the ball or shoot only step-backs, Harden can mix things up with our advanced variations of 3-man PnRs (Spain, Pistol into Double Drag, Staggered Double-High PnR, Pick for the Picker, Horns, and occasional 5-out motion sets, JH off-ball Thru Sets, and more).

Yet, all of those fancy MDA plays can be flattened via elite switching, so, Harden ups his practice time with teammates on 1on1 and Step backs to beat the switching -- just an awesome natural conclusion and counter for us to witness Harden doing. I'm so grateful to be a witness to this.

 

Someone told me a "step back is a step back" when I compared other players with Harden's. I didn't bother arguing but Harden's is noticeably different and it's because of his footwork. Yes, they are all done to create space but his ability to make the defensive player unsure of how and where he'll land makes it nearly, if not, unstoppable. I wonder what he does to practice landing cause the amount of times the defender has gotten into his space is pretty dangerous.

 

Harden currently leads the league in drives to the rim per game at 19.1 and he leads in free throws and 3pt attempts.

I predict we are going to see a new stat in the future which is the ultimate expression of Moreyball - the Triple 20. 20 drives, 20 FTAs and 20 3PAs in a game. I wonder if anyone (and by anyone I mean Harden) has come close to doing this yet.

 

I know what you're getting at, but have to chime in to note, i don't think its ordered in any way for him really. As it isn't for any player, or great player.

Its instinctual, quick decision making, understanding who is guarding him, how the spacing is, score, how tired he might be, etc, etc. You get this though, and again I understand your comment at least in terms of if there was a ranking of what he wanted...

Although that being the case, I think in his mind, the 3/step-back 3 has moved up the list.... almost to where it might be #1.... not because its what he'd chose necessarily #1... but because its almost a requirement on this squad, and given his recent efficiency with it, why not??

 

Awesome post!

So with Harden taking extra reps with other Rox players - isn’t it only a matter of time before we see someone else start consistently using the step back three?

 

I'd go as far perhaps to argue that they should be called different things.

In my mind, when I hear/read stepback, I think what Harden does.

Historically, when I think stepback, I'm really more just thinking basically a fade away shot, effectively. It's not a stepback per se, just a slight stepaway to try not to get blocked.

Obviously goal #1 with Harden is a championship. But beyond that, I think the stepback is as important and monumental a move for him as he'll ever have in his career. It's HIS MOVE. If you think about Steph's impact on basketball... it's been huge. HUGE. You can't understate this when you think about kids - I'm talking kids 6-high schoolers. My almost 9 year old is a much better deep shooter than layup shooter. This is Steph. When I was 9, I was doing crappy dreamshake imitations. But what I've seen lately... the kids are now doing stepbacks ala Harden as well. It's not caught on extensively yet... but it will to an extent.

It's a MOVE. It's a define-able move, created by and perfected by Harden. And for all the b****ing he might get about FTs... he can now rightfully be known as the Step Back King. If he keeps it up, and keeps perfecting it, and adding to it (as he adds every offseason), it will be right behind his beard as the most define-able thing about him in his career.

And, frankly, to the extent Harden might ever hit a HUGE, HUGE, HUGE, HUGE playoff shot again ... game winner in the WCF or Finals... there's like a 90% chance it will be that stepback.

Let's hope that happens, so the statue of him for the HOF will be him, his beard, launching into that stepback.

 

Oh, I agree. I was trying to illustrate the progression of improvement...to get to the point of the Article, that he's reach a full-package final conclusion.

But you're right ... his dribble is often the whole read of the play. He's going to try get the defender to make a mistake with footwork, depending upon what mistake occurs (or if none occurs) he instinctively reacts -- via drive or step-back. But sometimes, I'm convinced he knows he can't really drive (via the defense), so he's rocking the defender, knowing he will do the Step-back.

Again, though, I'm mainly referring to career progression of skillset improvement....since I liked the Article's discussion of final conclusion of building a full-package of counters.

 

Ah... I see.

Interesting idea then... guess the next iteration!?!?!?!

A fake step-back into a re-drive would be really cool... but not quite sure how that would happen as the step-back takes advantage of the gather step.

 

and yet... it ends with a massive "yea but" that was unnecessary imo. harden gets so much hate from everyone, fans, media, voters, players, refs, league offices, etc... is saddening. makes me go out of my way to love him even more because he needs our backs.

 

the comments below the tweet.......smh

 

I do think the point about Harden not being a great three-point shooter is off. You can't measure the quality of three point shooters just by reference to their aggregated percentages anymore. Harden's a 39% three-point shooter on an impossible portfolio of shots. If he shot a more standard shot portfolio he'd be a 41-42 percent shooter, which is probably how we should think of him. He's not Curry or Klay in terms of pure marksmanship, but he's right in the next tier down. You would ideally compare the quality of shooters by comparing points created in different tiers of shot difficulty. Who wants a 43% shooter if they can only achieve that percentage by taking open threes that teammates create for them?

 

The most mind blowing fact about this article is that it was written by a Mavs fan. Jonathan Tjarks is from Dallas and is a serious Mavs fan.

 

I've seen Bradley Beal do that before, a couple times actually. I dont know how effective it would be with Harden, it seems like a rhythm killer tbh.

 

Why, cynically, of course!

Why don't we ever hear talk about how Aaron Rodgers cynically manipulates the rulebook to draw defenses offsides, slowing the pace of the game to a crawl?

 

I think your progression is spot on. Harden makes these decisions immediately and his BB IQ is critical.

He doesn't get enough praise on this.

According to the interwebs, Harden just drives wildly in the lane "foul hunting." That is all he is thinking about.

 

I've noticed one big difference, which is contributing to the defenders landing under his feet, Harden's footwork and "ballet dance" step-back provides him with a perfectly balanced position to jump and shoot a three properly, versus falling back.

Most players are falling back on step-backs, especially in midrange. But in midrange, the shorter distance provides shooters will ability to use all arm with improper jumping mechanics -- poor use of getting legs under you for a natural jump shot, but in exchange you get unblockable space.

But at increased distance, you need your legs. With his footwork, Harden gets both space and his legs underneath him for proper jump shooting mechanics....no fall-away shooting.

bottomline: Harden is not trying to get people to foul him, he's trying to jump normally for a 3 (with good mechanics), while the defenders are expecting a fade-away type motion.
​

Check out how the mechanics of his jumping is the same for a step-back or a normal three...and the 4th video shows how Horford just jumped underneath him, and media says he's doing that on purpose, yet all his normal shots are the same.

Non Step-Back, Normal three -- Watch him jump into the shot (Good Balance)



Example 2 of Normal three -- Jumping into the shot



Step-back 3, but same Jumping into the shot for good balance and power



Step-back 3, again the same, but Horford jumps underneath him (see the twisted ankle)

 

This aspect has gone COMPLETELY ignored by the national media. Harden puts himself at risk of a Zaza/Kawhi situation....NIGHTLY.

Harden is not afraid to play in close quarters. Most players are the opposite. Harden also VARIES "where" his step back will be. It is not always completely backwards. Sometimes it is DIAGONAL. This makes the defender have to guess where he will go and how to defend him. Harden gets fouled a lot because of the defenders sloppy closeouts.