Pretty simple formula for guards- if your man drives by you, Iblock-a will clean it up. Or Perkins with rough you up.
Have anyone notice that Harden's defense gets better in the 4th qtr? Early in the game, if he got beat by cross over he usually gives up and let Asik or Smith to clean up the mess. But late in the game he would still try to stay in front of his man. And he also gets better offensively (if he struggles early in games) late in games. So I think his defense has nothing to do with his energy used on offense. I think he's just lazy until late in the game when it's urgent.
This thread is interesting to me. Not necessarily because of what Zach Lowe said, but the reactions. What Lowe says is true. Could he have phrased it more softly for the ears of Rockets fans? I suppose, but why should he? Here are the defensive xRAPM stats listed from best defender to worst: Omer Asik 4.87 Jeremy Lin 0.68 Carlos Delfino 0.57 Chandler Parsons -0.41 James Harden -0.64 Cole Aldrich -1.03 Greg Smith -1.07 James Anderson -1.09 Patrick Patterson -1.33 Terrence Jones -1.51 Marcus Morris -1.53 Donatas Motiejunas -1.53 Toney Douglas -2.26 The Roxs are one of the worst defensive teams in the league. Have we gotten better? Yes, recently. But it still hasn't made up for when we were bad for most of the year and Harden + Parsons has been one of the main culprits. So what's interesting to me is that the sensitivity to critiques about Lin, isn't just seen with critiques about Lin. Apparently, it's evident for critiques for other non-Lin players. And here I thought it was just the LOFs that are "sensitive."
Well no **** sherlock. Look, Harden has to improve on D but that's because: 1) He's only 23 years old 2) He's working to hard on O 3) It's his first year on the team and he didn't have a training camp LOL I feel like this is the most irrelevant article ever. Harden's not perfect, but we have bigger problems to worry about.
If Parsons is covering the other team's best player come playoff time we better start hitting those 3s because we are in trouble.
So far this season, he's been assigned to Kobe, Wade, LeBron and Carmelo, just to list a few. He initially got playing time for his D, not his jumpshot. These are pretty well known facts.
FYI: The Rocketscast Live crew talked about this article today. http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/rocketscast-live-second-wind Still live, but ending soon. They'll post an archive later.
He's assigned to them because we don't want Harden guarding Kobe or Wade. And he should be guarding Lebron and Carmelo as they are all 3s. He's not athletic enough to be a good defender. But that's fine if he would do a better job rotating he, like most guys his size, could be a decent help defender. I don't know how a guy who is a below average defender gets playing time for his defense but I guess I'll have to take your word for it....
He is a bad defender. It was ugly to see how players go by him without even get touched. Against NO, the first few possessions Gordon went by him like he was non-exist. His effort is inconsistent, and he got too much bad habit. But he is a great offensive player, with some real good court version, and exceptional ability to get to the basket & FT line. I guess he can take some break on defense.
I don't really get the whole "He doesn't have to play defense cause he's playing offense well" mentality. There are two phases in basketball, offense and defense both equally important. The real superstars in this league get this. The fact that this is Harden's first year being the star of a team is enough to give him a pass for now. However if this leaks into the playoffs or late this season I would start to get concerned. I think he will learn.
Seems like Lowe is directly asking him to be the top perimeter defender, at least in the part I quoted, suggesting it's a job that he should handle rather than Parsons/Delfino - IMO that's nto the way most teams operate for the bulk of the regular season. LeBron might take Durant for the 4th period of the NBA finals, but the bulk of the tiime he's going to draw Battier, because that's his role and LeBron is needed to do pretty much everything else. Just like Sefaloshfa would do the same for the Thunders...Metta & Kobe for the Lakers....etc.
"The Rockets have even hidden Harden now and then on the weakest opposing perimeter player, forcing Carlos Delfino and Chandler Parsons — another serial gambler — into assignments above their respective pay grades. This isn't quite a crisis, but Harden needs to find a better balance to his game." This is what you quoted, where does it say that Lowe is directly asking Harden to be a top perimeter defender because I really don't see it. Lowe specifically says it isn't a crisis but that Harden needs to find a better balance.
I have no idea why this is such a sore spot, or why anyone would argue that Harden is a good defender. I went to the road game against Indiana, and that was my single biggest takeaway from the game - Harden may be a solid athlete and there's nothing wrong with his fundamentals, but he's determined not to expend any energy on that end. However, considering he may give up 22 points per 48 to his SG opponents, but he scores 33, I don't see it as a problem. James Harden is elite at outperforming his matchup, you can paint the details however you want.
