I still don't buy into the Nets winning it all until they can find some defense and rebounding. They maybe the best offensive machine of all time but if they can't stop the opponent from scoring they can't win. They are only 10-6 after the big three was formed.
This makes zero sense, That offense was designed for him to control the ball most of the time and the Houston offense was the same offense that Nash ran so the Houston offense was not designed for Harden using the same premise. Since when did Harden not get any of blame? I mean WTF?
My only intention in chiming in was to point out that averaging a lot of assists does not make a player unselfish. I will say that Nash and Stockton did not average close to even 20 points along with their assists. That's a huge difference between them and players today who play in systems designed for them to score 30+ and assist for 10+.
First, the Rockets system the Rockets ran was not the James Harden system. They had an existing system that they modified to fit the strengths and weaknesses of the roster. That is EXACTLY what the Jazz did with Stockton and Malone. They took an existing system and modified it to fit the players they have. Same with Jordan and Kobe. That is what good coaches do, they modify their system to fit the strengths of their players.
I'm not sure what it is that you're disagreeing with. Whether he was always capable of playing this way isn't really the point, I think. The article does point out that Harden has always been an excellent passer. In a different role, with a couple of all-world scoring talents as teammates, he has made adjustments to how he plays that makes sense for his new team and also makes his style of play more tolerable and less monotonous to general NBA fans. It's not merely perception or geographic bias. The stats show that he's playing differently, which matches what we all see. It doesn't mean that he should have been playing this way all this time, and I don't think the article is trying to argue that.
I’m disagreeing that this is why harden’s game has been better for viewers. It’s a joke. Most of these people never took the time to watch Harden. He’s literally just taking less shots and passing more. It’s not like he didn’t pass a lot in Houston either. Nothing about his actual game changed. Like nothing. He’s in a bigger market. He’s also drawing less fouls, there you go. He’s no longer the sole focal point of an offense so he’s just doing less scoring.
The fact that he is passing more and not dribbling as much per touch and not spending as much time on the FT line and not missing as many shots that appear to be bad shots without any sort of teammate involvement all adds up to making his game less frustrating to general NBA viewers. Of course people watched Harden play. How could they not? The Rockets have been one of the most nationally televised teams in the league over the last 8 years.
It’s one second, it’s overstated in the article how much they actually is. He still dribbles a good amount. Harden made a lot of “bad” shots too. Kobe took and missed a lot of bad shots as well. Harden runs a lot of 21 Nash in Brooklyn as he did in Houston. There is nothing new here for people who have watched him. They really don’ watch him. . That’s why this narrative of him being a selfish iso player who doesn’t pass came about and the “surprise” at how he’s playing now. You are underestimating how casual a lot of theee people are. Inside the NBA and other players give that perception to him too.
The way he goes about scoring and assisting. He’s not passing out of the post that much, he’s not doing much off ball stuff(besides getting some catch and shoot here and there). The plays he runs in BK are plays he’s run in Houston. Specifically 21 Nash.
Suns are playing really well right now. Harden might need a 60 point triple double for them to even be in it.
Why would you just look at the record and say this? Of those 6 losses how many did the big 3 actually all play in?
Because people are silly. I think they lost two games to the cavs and that’s the only loss at full strength since Harden has been there.
What's happened here is Harden admitting to the fact that he isn't anywhere near good enough to win a ring unless he's the #2 or #3 guy. And to a point, that's respectable. To reject the contract he did in his quest for a ring is understandable. What I'll never understand or accept is his lack of chemistry with other stars in Houston. Dwight was brought here to play with Harden and got pushed out. At the time, we were all with Harden because of Dwight's iffy past and Harden's elevation of Houston. Then comes CP3. The point god. I believe this guy ruined Harden's world. He couldn't accept being 'coached up" by CP3 and forced his buddy Morey to trade him for arguably the worst 'star' the league has ever seen. Morey & Harden are Houston villains and should be treated as such.
