[The Ringer] James Harden is pushing basketball limits

I'm no pro basketball player , but I like to believe between cross-country racing and basketball I've learned how to land wrong on something and have the immediate awareness to convert all weight off that foot. So, I might be projecting my own method of transferring weight to avoid ankle injury (stepping in a hole or on a root, ie. XCountry racing, or landing on a foot, Basketball), but I'm convinced Harden "flops" onto his butt as SAFE weight transfer the moment he feels he's landing on a foot from a step-back three.

Somewhat like a Paratrooper roll -- Transferring a landing to your butt is the safest way to soften an injurious landing, and Harden's career literally depends upon him flopping on his butt to avoid ankle injury...so he has acute awareness of when he lands on a foot.

see the last video I posted on previous page, when Harden "flops" after landing on Horford's foot.

 

There is a very good balance of him going to the rack and shooting 3s... still shooting so many 3s a game, and averaging so many FTs.

Like others he is training like a track and field athlete and would have the best trainers regarding body coordination.

 

James Harden's offensive cocktail of......

1) amazing change of direction handles
2) elite acceleration and braking mechanics
3) elite footwork to create "the step back jumper"

.....has put him in position to maximize his gifts.

When Olajuwon paired his "mini jump hook" with the "fade away jump shot" we got the "Dream Shake"

This is the "next generation" Dream Shake. Harden's Dream Shake.

Someone needs to come up with a "TERM" to describe it. That marketing will take hold.

 

I see what you did there. That is why the butt is the most important thing to him in a woman of his choice!

 

True. With the number of times it happens to him, the falling is likely his defense against a Zaza/Kawhi situation + make the ref call the obvious foul. He already knows the defender is going to be under him so let's make sure the ref sees it.

 

True. With the number of times it happens to him, the falling is likely his defense against a Zaza/Kawhi situation + make the ref call the obvious foul. He already knows the defender is going to be under him so let's make sure the ref sees it.

 

When Harden is rocking the defender the ENTIRE PLANET knows the step back 3 is coming and yet it still prevails. That’s the very definition of unstoppable.

Harden’s step back reminds me of Arian Foster in his prime when “every one in the stadium” knew he was going to run it, defenses stacked the box.....yet Foster still managed a big gain from rushing. Foster was special and Harden is even more so.

 

Great article.

 

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meanwhile somewhere in the past MJ is getting these cheap calls all day long

 

"The Amazing Bearded Wonder's Bewilderingly Confounding, Embarrassingly Perplexing Signature Feat of Roundball Prestidigitation and Legerdemain" is kinda catchy.

Or maybe "The Sripperpole."

 

Rockets’ bias aside, James Harden’s game is incredibly beautiful and entertaining. The dude’s handle on the ball is out of this world. He combines his insane dribble moves with incredible footwork to shoot deep threes that the defenders can’t do anything about. Fans who truly know basketball aren’t the ones yapping about Harden’s game being boring. Unfortunately, the majority of fans are casual ones whom happen to be the same people that prefer to watch substance free super hero movies over truly original ones that are not as flashy.

 

Your post reminded me of the frustrating comments heard so often during our two championship runs, especially the first one. Call me crazy, but I thought it was beautiful basketball. What I heard and read from the talking heads (more reading material back then, less online stuff) was that it was Ugly Basketball. How anyone could call the games Dream played in during those playoffs ugly is a mystery to me. We were witnessing greatness. Moments in basketball never to be repeated, moments we relished like fine wine.

Harden is having moments like that repeatedly during this run of his. Different player, obviously, different position, difference skills, but greatness on display, nonetheless. Now excuse me while I go open a bottle of red.

 

james harden is the floyd mayweather (inside of the ring) of basketball.

master technician who uses every corner of the rule book to his advantage.

casual fans call it boring but when you really analyze his game it's actually genius.

the same way floyd made world class boxers look like amateurs is the same way harden is making world class defenders look like amateurs.

 

I have said these same things and people argue with me that James doesn’t make people around him better. Amazing. People that claim to watch a lot of basketball...some even claim to work for sports agencies. Lol.

 

I think one think we forget about is how strong Harden is. When he goes to the basket, he is not trying to avoid contact. He is trying to run you over like Karl Malone did, except he does it at an angle to gain leverage and to avoid the charge call. He's a basketball genius.

 

Your friends with ESPN analysts?

 

I try not to think of them that way. Lol.