Nash's defensive xRAPM in 2004-05 and 2005-06 were significantly better than Harden's this year. So the results do not favor Harden. What makes the difference is that Nash at least track of his guy, which make the guy to have to actually shoot over or drive by him plus any help defenders behind him. Nash doesn't constantly lose guys to backdoor cuts and simple actions which result in uncontested shots and doesn't even give teammates a chance to help out. The same can be said about guys like Curry. A short or slow or too skinny defender may get shot over or driven by, but as long as they are attentive, they are still giving the team a better chance on D than a completely inattentive no-effort defender like Harden.
But still, you can't discount what Nash had done with his Phoenix team vs Harden with his Rockets team (so far). It would be like arguing between TMac and Kobe (ooops!) :grin:. Anyway, the point of discussion I think is that Harden needs to defend better if he's going to take the Rockets to new heights, more than what is expected of Curry and Nash. Most of the time, SGs are better scorers than PGs except in some unique cases where the PG is more of a combo guard. We don't want Harden's very good offensive production becoming a mediocre one due to the fact that opposing SGs have scored more than their average. Aren't you tired of seeing "scoring career" games from opposing PGs? Harden is the MAIN man with the Rockets thus there are BIG expectations.
Got to admit. Look at all those killer defense. If Harden sucks at defense, I could accept that. But playing Haren? And this is 1st NBA? <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/wVYJULACcao" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Numbers don't lie, bad defensive player with great offensive skills, his offensive stats speak for it self, number 1 clutch player in 2013-2014 season /thread P.S. maybe they should question how Chris Paul and Noah are there..!
What are the odds that he'll write a similar article about how Noah doesn't belong on the first team? I'm going to guess somewhere between 0~0%.
You can make a highlight real of bad defensive plays about almost every ******* player in the NBA. As a whole, Harden played decent defense mid to late in the regular season, and this award is a regular season award.
No, you couldn't. Not a video that long and that awful. There isn't a defender in the league worse than Harden. Before you call me a hater, name 1 guy that's worse.
A lot of homer comments in here. I saw hardens deficiencys all season and this writer is just calling them out nothing wrong with that. Truth is harden only shoots top of key 3's , drives to paint looking for fouls only, or rakes a step back mid. All of you know its true. His defense is below average and he gets pit up by players like Wesley Johnson and Martel Webster almost nightly. You all complained about that every game but seem to have forgotten. The fact that he's categorized as a SG is the reason he made the 1st team. If Russell Westbrook would have not had longterm injuries he would have the spot. Homer glasses OFF
He's trying really hard to convince people that Harden shouldn't be 1st team All-NBA yet he never mentions turnovers. Kinda strange don't you think? That should be an easy stat to backup his point. Maybe because Curry turned the ball over more than Harden? Yeah, no agenda there.
The Carl smear campaign continues. The Writer's bio per ESPN- Ethan Sherwood Strauss, in writing on ESPN.com and TrueHoop Network over the last four years, has established a unique and independent voice. He weighs in on some of the most sensitive issues of the NBA and the Golden State Warriors. Based in Oakland, Strauss will continue to cover the Warriors and the league for ESPN.com. Prior to ESPN, he covered politics for Salon.com and worked for the NBA. Strauss graduated from the University of California, Berkeley. Hmmm.... MAYBE someone here was just pissed that Steph Curry didn't make all NBA 1st team??? His main case against Harden was his PER and Win Shares, but forgets to mention turnovers. Than he goes on about defense and gives Curry the excuse of his slight build.... who cares?... its about effectiveness at the end of the day, and both were ineffective for the most part last season on the defensive end. Trying harder doesn't make you better or more effective... and its arguable at best to say Curry has extreme dedication at the defensive end any ways. Look guys you can participate in the Carl Herrera Harden/2Pat/T-Rob pity parties all you want, but at least use a little common sense. Whether Harden DESERVED (whatever your definition of this is) this award or not is one thing (given effort), but there is no question in the minds of the overwhelming majority that despite his flaws, he's still the best 2 guard in the league.
Where are the Houston area writers arguing Howard's case for 1st team over Noah?? Lord knows statistically he's got a pretty damn good case over Noah. Not even on Clutchfans (A site dedicated to Rockets diehards) has there been a thread yet making a case (even with a little homerism sprinkled in). Yet a supposed un-bias national writer for ESPN gets away with obvious homerism in complaints for his hometown hero. Its pretty sad that we are in a fan base that has so much disdain for its best players. Ohh and FYI- PPG: Dwight Howard - 18PPG Noah - 12 PPG Reb: Dwight- 12.2 Noah - 11.3 PER: Dwight - 21.36 Noah- 20.06 W/S: Dwight- 8.0 Noah - 11.2 Defensive rating- Dwight- 101 Noah- 96 Unbelievable how some of the fans on here need to get their heads checked, and support their players better. This is turning into an anti-fan-site more than an actual fan-site.
When Harden can't even keep fan support in his own city its pretty easy for some fans with an agenda to find the 12 worst minutes of James' season on defense (most of which is coming from the few week early in the season when he was playing injured). Nowadays anyone can make a compelling YouTube compilation.... just go look at the YouTube clip of Hassan Whiteside pre-draft to see the other side of the token. No doubt that James Harden deserves criticism for taking plays off defensively, and maybe you could also critique the way he handled the interview with the media late in the year, or whatever, but the point is... Is he NOT the best 2 guard in the league even despite his flaws??? For those who actually were able to watched all of the regular season games this year.... how many games were won in the 4th quarter by Harden heroics???.... More than a few. Harden has a ton of anti-fans around Houston which I just do not understand. I get that there are a certain segment of fans that thought last year he overshadowed their favorite player who was supposed to be the face of the franchise, but I dont get the other long term fans on here that have an un-bridled disdain for him enough to continue this smear campaign. Its very sad.
The fact that you spew this nonsense every post tell me you don't watch the games. So getting guarded by lebron and going toe to toe in the 4th while scoring basket after basket is somehow easy lol and he isn't the most clutch player in the game? Your right he doesn't make your boy chandler bang look good? C'mon dude harden sucks defenses towards him he gets all his players easy baskets. How you think parsons has all those driving lanes off cuts? It ain't from bev and jones. Ur one of the biggest haters on the board. You can't avg 25 6 and 5 on 61ts and only shoot 3s and hope for fouls. Like I said the fact you keep coming in a saying this bs about his offense show you no next to nothing about basketball. Criticize his defense you got a pint their. But on offense? Theirs not 3 players better than him in the entire league. And that's just facts homie deal with it. Numbers don't like check the score board.
Ok you can literally make a video of lots of players defensive mistakes and make a person look terrible. That's whats ****ty about this video. He's not the red carpet defender lots of people seem to assume. He's actually been decent on ball wise, but off ball wise has been a big problem of his.
It's stupid, lots of people on here (especially Carl as of late) has been just been constantly hating. Any damn award a player receives it's all a debate in the thread instead of being happy for the player. IMO outside of those top 4 players, no other guard was truly worthy of 1st team All NBA. That award should be reserved for great players on both ends of the basketball.
Harden is going to make these people eat their words next season. That's just his character. It's amazing that he's this good offensively considering who he was a few years ago. He made it here with hard work and IQ. He'll do the same with defense. If you have the IQ then all that's left is the effort. At 24 years old he is offensively dominating the SG position. I think we'll see roughly 7 assists per game and better defense from Harden next season.
