He's 3/14 against Dort and a lot of times he tried to get to his spot, couldn't and passed the rock... again, Harden played great. Y'all stans getting mad for us pointing that out look like clowns. Nobody said Harden played bad or it was his fault, he was really good yesterday. Y'all want other fans to be objective and the second anybody says anything other than harden was amazing you clown them.
They did including Rubben (patterson?) or whatever on that blazer team. See I don't even remember their names 10 years after. Harden will prevail.
If harden doesn’t foul out 20 seconds into overtime. We are looking to sweep tomorrow. After Chris Paul missed that game winner you could see the air go out of the ballon for okc lol. Harden fouling out gave them a second wind
We've seen this before. There were lots of players with early success guarding Harden. Harden has already figured it out. Stop buying the hype, they are trying to breathe life into this series while James Harden dominates the pace of every game. We missed more than the usual proportion of open 3's, played our worst defense, didn't have Westbrook.... and they had to go to OT to get one. With MDA, OT's seem unwinnable, his players are always more gassed than the opponent.
I don’t think cherry picking one play where Harden made the wrong decision (I agree he should have taken the elbow jumper) means “Harden lacks the variety of counters” of other elite scorers. That’s ridiculous. Harden was killing the Thunder on drives to the basket: eurostep, finishing through contact, leaning layups, floaters, etc. He only really struggled shooting the 3. Other than that, he had a good game. I wouldn’t mind if he mixed in a few midrange post ups and jump shots for variety, especially since he is a very good shooter from that range. Just because he hasn’t been taking those shots, doesn’t mean they’re not in his arsenal. His first 4 years in Houston, he shot those all the time. Harden doesn’t have an offensive weakness.
Harden has had stretches of defensive plays in this very series that was clearly better than Dort's overall defense. Nobody is raving about Harden's defensive ability except the real Houston fans. Yet here you're making a thread about Dort as if he's an actual threat to a former MVP in Harden.
It’s not cherry picking, I’ve seen that happen to him a number of times where he has a wide open midrange shot and he hesitates. I’m glad he is starting to mix in the Euro step again, but he doesn’t appear comfortable or fluid in pulling up or spinning into a midrange shot as a reaction to the defense.
I think Harden has hurt his right shoulder just before half time. He played much less aggressive in the second half. I hope his shoulder is ok.
That's the big problem. The refs will give much more leeway to a defender 1) against Harden 2) in the playoffs.
Knowing Harden’s arsenal, what do you think his counters will be for the next game? He can’t get around Dort as well, stepbacks are being well contested without fouls and post ups are harder with a wide body. - Enter Westbrook: penetration should get Harden more open looks. - Floaters: haven’t seen them much this series.. he was going to the floaters against the Jazz a whole lot in the last few years - Screener: the few times Harden got open was when Green brought the ball up and Harden set a screen to switch onto OKCs center - Offball movement: have Rivers or someone else be PG and get a few backdoors/cuts going Other ideas?
I mostly agree with you, in the sense that sample size is far too small. I'll wait until the series is over before judging Dort
Why would I care about praising a dude defending Harden??? Especially in the middle of a series?? Go post that to a Thunder forum.
Thinking it may be a seperation/serious. He was in a lot of pain. But I am not a doctor. Rockets are cursed. I was on him for his lack of effort and appearing to quit at the end of the game, but if serious shoulder injury that would explain it.
Harden didn’t seem to have any problem posting up Dort and scoring. They should just do this over and over until Dort gets in foul trouble, Harden scores, or they double him and he hits them for three.
harden was almost called for as many fouls guarding dort (2) as dort was called for guarding harden (3). that doesn't pass the smell test. harden's first foul on dort could literally be called every time harden tries to drive. and the shoulder is definitely concerning. there were several times in the 4th he got a switch on to a weak defender and either just gave the ball up, tried some dribbles and gave it up, or even shook gallo and then just passed up an open shot. he had 34 thru 3 and has torn up everyone not named dort so it seems hard to believe the shoulder wasn't bothering him when he's not going at the weak defenders.
