Don’t confuse it. We needed him to play at a high level and score a lot of points to weather injuries to support winning. We didn’t need the streak, per se. The problem with hyped-up streaks is that it shifts the focus of the player to scoring points as a goal in itself, rather than as a means to winning. This shift leads to poor shot selection and looking off open teammates. We should all appreciate that he was able to turn around our season with unprecedented shot making in a 1-man offense. But that doesn’t mean we should celebrate that offensive style or root for its continuation going forward when we have a more complete active roster. If an end to the streak can reshift our focus to playing the way we need to play in the playoffs, then I was all for it. Let’s see if that happens. Unfortunately, if his mind is still on winning back to back MVPs and he thinks scoring as many points as possible is the way to achieve that feat, it may not make any difference.
To be fair, there was one game where he was actively trying to get 40, but still, a great run and we needed it!
My comment was ridiculing the poster I quoted. Maybe you agree with him that any player could get 30-for-30 with "90% of the team's shots?" Diminishing returns means less and less increase per unit. Applied to usage, it means that the relationship between points and usage isn't just linear. You cant just give Austin Rivers the same usage as James Harden and expect massive stats because of fatigue, triple teams, etc. Harden bucked that trend and thats why he's an impressive anomaly. Lol @ "someone understands it and someone doesn't". Can't tell who understands what and who is talking to who now.
I file this along with the 22 game streak as interesting side notes, but not all that relevent - or meaningful. All I give a crap about is getting that ring. DD
I think this whole "the team is forced to play this way" is straight narrative and bs. The team had been operating the same all season. The only thing that changed during the streak was an increase in shot attempts. James had been running iso all year even before the injuries and all of last year. Let's take for example last night. Everyone says he was gunning for it but I dont believe it. I think that's everybody being blinded by confirmation bias. They saw what they wanted to see and they bought into a false narrative out there. So last night for example. He was getting doubled every time and passed to the screener/rollman or the spot up guy closest to the action. He started burning them on the pass, so Atlanta did some really interesting and effective defense. They started triple teaming the PnR. 2 on harden and one on the roll guy. It's why we seen a lot of 21 series as our counter. They then adjusted again, also interesting, when defending the 21 series. They doubled the ball handler and had the 3rd guy on the screener. After the handoff or pass they immediately switched the double team. It was pretty dang effective. But James found the answer and started passing to the spot up guy after the 21 series action. This lead to some pretty easy looks as the guy was open for 3 or passed to the corner spot up when the corner defender had to rotate. But again, good adjustment from Atlanta because they had that rotating defender hawking the pass to the spot up guy while maintaining that triple team of the PnR. When seen it when Huerter intercepted and would of had an easy fast break if not for a heads up defense by harden and green. Now this defense is kind of scary because they aren't very good and I'm worried how good a team like okc could be doing it. So "when harden started ((gunning)) for the streak" in the 4th he was actually exploiting the defense because he found the weakness of it. He walked into pretending he was gonna run the action and as the defense started its rotation into this double/triple team of the PnR, he exploded and split the double team. He did it like 3 or 4 times in a row and it was the right play every time. Cp3 wasn't "keeping the ball from him" because they adjusted and stopped double teaming cp3 and thus the correct play is to then let cp3 work while Harden acts as the decoy. He took less shots then normal during that streak and much more similar to his original average. Unfortunately he was 0-10 after a long break and an injury that caused him to be ice cold. 0-10 sucks and I know he was just trying to find his rhythm and groove but I really wish he would have made just 1 or 2. Harden isnt selfish. Again he just isnt selfish, it's this stupid media bias and narrative out there that convinces opposing fans and ultimately convinces rockets fan hes "being a ball hog" which ultimately refers to being selfish. Its disrespectful how badly Harden was treated during all this. Never would MJ or Kobe or LeBron have to defend what he was doing to the media and for damn sure not to his supposed fans. It would have been 100% praise 100% of the time. Dont get me wrong Harden got plenty of love, but it was closer to the 75-80% of the time which imo is just ludicrous. IMO Harden deserves sooooo much more credit and appreciation, and it's obvious it wont come from the media or opposing fan bases. And its just extremely distasteful and disgusting to see a rockers fan essentially cheer about Harden no long continue to create history. This entire "focus on winning instead" shiit is bullshiit and fuucking dumb. It's not accurate and is just a way for fans to mask their hatred because they either A) not a huge fan of Harden B) not a fan of the offense C) just a fuucking hater. I respect you Don and I understand your sentiments and where you are trying to come from, but it's just misplaced IMO.
With CP3 & CC coming back, this was going to end any day. James has carried us in historic fashion. I'm glad it's over. Now, we can get down to the business of the Houston Rockets winning another Championship.
I'm glad this thread exists, because it will really be worth coming back to it in the future when emotions have settled down and just dissecting and marveling at the objective brilliance of what happened during this streak. --- The one thing I'll say right now is that I'm glad it got to 32, so Harden has sole possession of the second all-time spot. It's just cleaner in the record books that way.
Right but this is just one game. If he goes right back to the grind next game and gets 30 plus, and you’re still upset the streak is over, that means you value this obscure number more than team quality. The team comes first for me and if releasing the pressure off this obscure number leads to relaxed and better play by the team, I’m all for it. I can’t wait for Harden to play for his next 40 or 50 point game. I like the style but I also prefer it to appear to be within the flow. Last night his 28 was within the flow and it would’ve been another 30 if he hit his 3s. I’m not going to hate the guy for missing. That happens. He still had a great game. Last night was fun.
The streak was incredible and Harden was amazing keeping this team afloat during it. I do think he was getting too aware of it to the semi detriment of the team. It’s ok to appreciate it and also be glad it came to an end. Now that it’s done and the team looks relatively healthy, it’ll be real interesting to see how good we are because honestly this group is an enigma.
James Harden's 30+ ppg streak was amazing. *32* games on #TheUnguardableTour 28+ ppg streak is still alive though.....
It's ok, you can look around, enjoy the journey and take in the scenery. #RINGZ culture can be pretty miserable if that is all that matters.
averaging an efficient 41 ppg over a 32 game stretch is mind blowing...it sounds even more impressive than just saying 32 straight games of at least 30 point which is just ridiculous to begin with 41 points is a great game for a superstar, and a career game for the vast majority...that was Harden’s average holy sh*t, the Beard is a legend 20 years from now someone else will come along and dominate the league offensively, and we’ll be saying he’s the 1st player to do X, Y, and Z since James Harden
