Celtics score 6 points on 3-12 FG with James Harden as primary defender

It’s obvious his defensive awareness in and out of the paint has picked up. There were plays that Tatum couldn’t shake him on the perimeter. Looked visibly frustrated

 

Yes

 

Seems to me like Harden is someone who often matches the team's defensive focus. When the team is dialed-in and playing hard on that end, he's often excellent. When the team is playing lackadaisically, he plays just as sloppy (especially on the perimeter). But James Harden's BBALLIQ is so high that as long as he's even somewhat engaged, he's going to be a positive on that end, and not just in the post.

This is a strong, long, smart dude. People outside of the Rockets don't seem to pay enough attention to how Harden's been defending the opposing stars in the last couple of games.

 

Yes, we can praise his defense and critique his offense at the same time. He almost lost us the game, but in the end did enough to win us the game.

 

Harden definitely has stepped up on defensive effort for the past couple of weeks and not just in post defense. He's actually moving his feet on switches. I feel as if Westbrook is releasing a lot of the pressure that Harden had before

 

Another boring win

 

A fun part is that whenever Harden makes a good defensive play, the national/opposing commentators say 'oh..good defense there by...James Harden(?!?!?!)'

The guy led the league in total steals last year. The Rockets have had high end defenses for years now (18 and 2H of 19 and now).

It's not 2014 with Harden and Lin out there anymore and MAGAHale as the coach and Vine is not really a thing now, dudes

 

To be fair a lot of players who had high steal numbers are not considered good defenders. No one considered AI a above average defender and he lead the league in steals multiple times.

 

Did enough???

He WON us the game, at both ends of court in final seconds.

Definition of CLUTCH.

 

Harden locked it down last night.

 

If we can just get harden to play average defense, I think we will be championship contenders

we don’t have the luxury of Capela hedging to save harden so need him to man up and play tough d

glad to see that he had a good defensive game against Boston. Keep them coming!!!!

 

Harden is playing elite post defense - for YEARS now.

And his disruptions are always top ten, top 5 for a guard.

This season he has also improved his perimeter defense when Rockets rededicated themselves to the switch everything and tag defense.

We never should have abandoned Bzdelik's system to begin with.

 

defensive stats are often very misleading

when a player gets steals, sometimes it doesn’t mean they are good defenders but play wrecklessly

Players even during all star game attack harden as the weak link on d

with our high octane offense, no stopping us if harden steps up and plays some solid d

 

This would be 'a' year to won't it all if there weren't outside factors.

 

So if not stats, then what do you use to support your BS claim that James needs to improve his D to "solid"?

 

yup. I worry the refs will favor the fakers give. the unfortunate Kobe situation

I think we have a winning system. Just need our team to continue to play their roles and not have all these ISO’s come playoff time.

 

stats meaning steals and blocks

players can gamble for steals and blocks all day and have a nice stat sheet but still get abused on d