Stephen A. Smith: Take James Harden Any Day of the Week Over Giannis

Essentially, yes. I think dominating the NBA from the West with 1 superstar and 2 all stars is not something anyone but Lebron could do in their prime, and personally I think Harden could do it too. They didn't just win, they murdered everyone. And if you recall the narrative at the beginning of Curry's first title, it wasn't that the Warriors will steam roll through the NBA. It was that they were a contender. As the season went on they became among the favorites. By the end of that season, everyone was scared of the Warriors. And then they won 73 games. I'm not a fan of Curry's, but that's a historic feat. I don't think for a moment that all those guys could have done it, especially not Kobe or Durant (who had a more talented team) or Orlando T-Mac. Shaq, Lebron and Hakeem probably. But think about what tier that puts him in.

 

Why couldn't Kobe do it? He won 2 titles without another superstar? Please don't argue that Gasol was a superstar. He was a fantastic player but definitely not a super-star.

Why couldn't a healthy Orlando T-Mac do it? His Orlando teams were total friking trash and he still got them to the playoffs. Do you think Curry would have got those Orlando teams to the playoffs?

More importantly, you said what Curry did is irreplicable, but then you admitted a prime Lebron could, Harden probably could, Shaq and Hakeem too. Yes, there is something irreplicable about how curry did it. No one has ever seen anyone shoot like him. Wildly entertaining and dazzling, yes, but impact wise, we've seen more transcendent players do it better.

One more thing, too much is being made of the 73 games feat. Yes it's quite a feat but they didn't even win a ship that year. They were down 3-1 against the Thunder and got beat by a way inferior team in the finals after leading 3-1. Curry made stupid mistake after stupid mistake in the final game of that finals series to boot. Despite his ships, he's yet to win a single finals MVP, the last two went to a guy you said couldn't do it, Durant.

 

I should have said not easily replicable. But no, I don't agree that he's not transcendent. He scores at a staggering rate on and off the ball in a way that cannot be guarded. He's unselfish, excellent off the ball, a good passer and a good leader. I don't think Kobe would dominate the West with Draymond and Klay.

Ok I can't stomach defending Steph Curry any longer. Can we just agree that we differ on his impact?

 

Oh yea for sure, that’s totally MDA’s “system” that is creating all those iso plays for Harden. All those unassisted 3 pointers lol.

There is no system except to shoot a lot of 3s, FTs, layups. Give the ball to Harden, set a pick or iso, and let him do his thing. Put any NBA coach out there that players respect and we’d see the same exact Harden.

 

It's basically what McHale did. MDA just did it better by making him full time PG and spreading out the floor even more.

 

Yeah, imagine if they both agree on something

Molly: Who would you pick, Harden or Giannis?
Stephen A: James Harden
Max: I pick James Harden too
Stephen A: Wow, we both now agree on something.

*show ends*


On another note, Max saying Harden is the poster child of choker is succesfully riling us up. I mean who are supposed to win by carrying his team against a team with 4 (soon to be 5) allstars? Then everyone in the league are chokers. KD wouldve been another choker if he didnt move to GSW (although he is now a snake).