Ultimate "James Harden Doesn't Play Defense" Video

I watched a couple of minutes and it seems to be all off-the-ball defense. It's not so much effort as just losing himself in staring at the ball. Pretty weird to watch actually.

The whole problem with "he'll fix this in the playoffs" is that a habit is a habit. Oh well. Still love him as a player and he's the single biggest reason for our success, bar none.

 

This was made by a clutchfans member and posted in another thread

hmmmhmm is a knowledgeable poster and video maker

http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showpost.php?p=8858525&postcount=95

 

No realistic person expects Harden to be an amazing 2-way player. However, a lot of those mistakes didn't come from a lack of effort or energy -- they came from a lack of awareness and poor positioning.

I don't think Harden should be trying to play lock-down defense on every possession, as he shoulders such a significant portion of the offensive load. But he's developed some very bad habits on the defensive end. If he put forth the time in practice and the focus in games to un-learn these bad habits, then the media wouldn't be able to construct 11-minute montages of his defensive blunderings. The ball-watching, losing track of his man, and poor positional awareness are all things that could be improved without burning any more of his energy in-game.

Harden shouldn't be expected to commit himself physically on the defensive end, but he needs to commit himself mentally on every possession. This montage is exactly why he's not even being considered in the MVP discussion.

 

Also like Stat his defensive awareness is really poor especially off the ball.

 

No, because when he's on the ball he tries the reach-around steal.

It's habit and maybe he needs to be in better shape.

 

Good point. Can we see some video where the reach around poke after his man blows by him actually worked? I don't recall it working but it might have. lol

He does a poor job of staying in front of his man and not letting him blow by. But, we've seen other times when his D is tighter. So, I expect him to tighten it up in the playoffs.

 

Oh Damn.

 

I could make an AT LEAST 7-8 minute video of this on any top 10 NBA player on the NBA.

And I would do it if I was getting paid to.

 

You have absolutely hit the nail on the head. I'm not inflating Harden's defense- it is what it is- but c'mon, I can make a tape like this for almost every player in this league. Even LeBron, Durant- seriously, watch games in which they've lost, and you can make a tape like this. There are some players for whom you couldn't make a tape like this, surely- people like Tony Allen, Joakim Noah, Pat Beverley, Matt Barnes, etc. But many of your offensive stars- you could make a tape like this. Again, just pick the games in which their team has lost- that's where you'll find them.

 

This. You can make a highlight (or in this case lowlight) video and it looks mighty convincing when you string all those plays together. Edited videos can make an average player look like a star and vice versa.

However there's no question that Harden's defense has been pretty bad most of the year. I'm not defending (pun intended) him about that. He's picked it up in spurts but overall it's just not good. But taken in context of the entire season I don't think it's the kind of thing that's costing us games or will be a barrier in the playoffs. I'm more concerned with our half court offense and overall team defense.

 

Harden loves getting backdoored

 

...and the pokey.

 

He just has the "I really don't give a **** because I'm a superstar" attitude.

Along with the "I can score at will, but play no D" -itis.

 

Meh, regular season games. I will only be concerned if this translates into the playoffs, which i highly doubt.

Is he a bad defender? Yes, but because he chooses to be, not because he isn't unable or untalented on defense.

In the video it clearly shows that he's just giving up on all those plays, he's unfocused and just doesn't care.

People need to remeber, he played 38 for 70+ games this season, in basically all of these games he was our main scorer and had to work like a horse on offense to produce 25 points and 5 assist.

Like our commentators mentioned, because Harden one of the top leading scorers in the league, everybodys watching Harden, the opposing team is completely focused and is planned and prepared to stop him. He had to overcome that and score everynight, and its exauhsting just watching him on offense.

Especially because we don't run plays to get him easy buckets, he is most of the time creating for him self with crossover after crossover, hard cuts, muscling the oppent to the basket etc.

So, in the regular season, cut him some slack, he's providing so much offense out of thin air, don't get to upset when he gives up on 3-5 defensive playes a game. In the playoffs i expect his intensity to step up, and his true defensive ability to show, it will be rough on him but im sure he will deliver on both ends.

 

Lol nice straw man argument. Nobody thought that on here.

 

An 11-minute video though? Maybe so. I don't watch enough games to know for sure.

To his credit, he is making a kind of "my bad" sign in just about each case. Again, I love Harden, so I'm not in here trying to knock him. I just wonder if he loses his man just a tad bit more often than your avg NBA Joe.

 

LOL he tends to fall asleep off the ball.

thought it was funny

 

instead of running with the offensive player to impede the basket he does the trademark "beard wraparound poke."

 

you could make a similar video for just about any NBA player. not impressed.

 

I think it is actually a 20 minute video, that was shortened to 11 minutes according to a reputable poster on here.