Yes, either Russ or Harden does. But that is always the expectation. The team that wins it all almost always has the best playoff performer that year, with lone possible exception being Lebron vs the Warriors. Part of why i think the NBA final MVP should be changed to the the playoff MVP a la the NHL
No prob, man, I hope you still enjoy the season no matter what. FWIW Back to the topic, it's asinine to suggest Harden should revamp his brand, his brand works.......just not with the media. He is 30 and a brand change won't work, he should be consistent with his old brand.
#1 I don't want to hear about Harden not being articulate when you hold up Giannis. Articulate has never been a problem for Harden. Giannis on the other hand has a very poor education is as charismatic as a box or macaroni and cheese. Concerning the "good story" angle, Harden grew up without a father, in a bad part of LA with poverty. He make excellent grades in high school and college. Also most of the people you listed don't light up a room with their presence. They light up a room because they are elite basketball players. #2 Who gives a ****? Harden is 29 years old, by next year will have AVERAGED 30 points a game over the last 8-9 years, will have an MVP and 3-4 second place finishes and will be worth half a billion dollars when he is done playing. He hasn't been in legal trouble, is very bright and will be a first ballot hall of famer. He doesn't have time to worry about what some idiot on a message board thinks about his perception or optics. #3 You "no question he is a top 10 player in the league" tells me all I need to know about you. At worst he is the second best player in the league and has been the best player in the world over the last 6-7 years.
Absolutely agree with you, and very excited so far on the season, last night sucked, but hey, we're Rockets fans so we know how it goes
Yes, on all 3. I also think Harden does a good job at the clinics, puts a smile on the kids he's teaching and... Doesn't really charge much in comparison. I personally think he's good, I mean maybe I don't personally know him, but when I see him lighting up the kids faces and autographing **** for free, he's good in my opinion
No, Harden should not give a **** about all that, as he's doing right now but even more. He still cares, which is human, but I'd like Harden to double down on it like Westbrook does. 0 care about stats, scoring titles, amount of shots and just play. He's getting there.
@D-rock I relied op the so-called reputation that 'harden play no D' is not true. Harden definitely plays defense, say Harden playing important role in our 'switch everything' D, and so far so good. But according to Gottlieb (in the video), players in this league only give respect to those leaders or best players in a team who play relentlessly on both ends of the floor i.e. offensively you made a step back 3 and right back to the other end you got to lock down or get you man suffocated defensively（especially on clutch), the man should be opp's best player MJ/KB/LBJ kinda player, the toughest one. In rockets, before sending away cc, tucker/ariza/luc was the one to lock down other teams' top scoreers / best players, not Harden, as we all know. In that sense, i got nothing to say, should ppl deny Harden play the D.
Harden is also just as cerebral as he is a hard worker. This cannot be underestimated. Harden loves to hoop but no other player works on his game as well as his body harder in offseason. Harden is not just inventing or improving moves each and every season but he is literally an extension of Morey and MDA on/off court. Harden is a true student of the game and immerses himself in the data, schemes and philosophies of coach and GM. Harden is criminally underrated and underappreciated, even by Rockets fans. Especially the selfish player BS, no other superstar has sacrificed his stats and agreed to change systems (systems that have elevated him to MVP) as often and as enthusiastically as Harden. Harden has played in 4 very different consecutive systems, and that is just under MDA. Harden is actually the most unselfish superstar I have ever seen.
Huh? The fact that you typed this says volumes. James may or may not be all of those other things but the one thing I do know is he's very articulate. That makes me wonder what exactly you meant by this? Show me where, anywhere where he's not articulate. I listen and watch all of his interviews and have yet to see him not be articulate......
Giannis hasn't won anything. They choked last season in the playoffs. Harden hasn't paid "tens of thousands" to hookers. Spending money at a strip club doesn't equate "hookers".
