Harden vs. Westbrook for scoring title (tied with 7 games left)

If they are tied, why aren't they listed in alphabetically order at ESPN. Is this same kind of diss on the Rockets--some sort of ESPN definition of Alpha-dog order?

 

Just math. Players are almost never precisely tied. Westbrook is at 27.617, Harden at 27.554.

 

And Westbrook has 3.3 more FGA despite playing 2.7 less minutes. I hope Harden wins the scoring title

 

Rooting 4 the Beard!


Two 50 point games within a week?!
Harden is going Super Saiyan down the stretch.

 

What a world.

 

Well, some people don't understand math. Help them or let them suffer?

I think the one with the higher average helps his team a lot more, man. Don't YOU?

 

Can't even imagine how much Harden would average if he took Westbrook-type shot totals. He'd be well within 35-40 range.

 

I highly disagree with the method they use to determine scoring leader.

Because Harden has scored around 300+ more points than Westbrook and played more games it is more difficult for him to raise his overall average. If Harden had another 50 point game today and Westbrook has a 45 point game today...Westbrook benefits more when it comes to his average.

I also have a hard time accepting the sentence stated in the meme above.

"Harden scores more points than anyone else in the league with the next person being several hundred points behind yet Harden isn't declared the scoring leader" seems incredibly flawed. I don't care that it has been this way forever.

 

To make sure I understand you correctly, you are saying that if Harden took 3 more shots per game, he would average 8-12 more points per game?

 

In this recent stretch without Durant...he's shooting more along the lines of 25 times a game. Then you also have to throw in the attempts that end up as shooting fouls.

 

So that is what you are saying....

Wow. I love me some Harden, but even I'm not that delusional.

 

You could look at usage rate. I think Westbrook is far above Harden in usage right now. (Harden and LeBron are within the 32 range while Westbrook has 38 IIRC)

 

Harden 27.554 PPG
Westbrook 27.617 PPG

 

it shouldn't be a surprise that he would average more pts without a doubt. take into account for those shots he's a better 3 pt shooter, would draw fouls here and there, and takes better shots in comparison to WB. To the extent of 8-12 pts is debatable but he would definitely crack the 30's easily.

 

I wonder if Harden will try to score as many points as possible in the season finale against the Jazz if he's still within percentage points of Westbrook. I remember back in 1994, the Spurs fed Robinson every time down the floor when they visited the Clippers so he could steal the scoring title from Shaq.

 

I think it time for the NBA to improve it's ways it gives awards that pertain to statistical numbers (scoring, rebounding. steals, assist, etc.). Using raw numbers like shooting %, per game averages, etc is becoming terribly outdated. We have advanced numbers and ways to calculate true scoring.

The minimum amount of games a player can miss to qualify for those types of awards is 58 games. By that logic, teams should just play a player for 58 games and tell them to score like crazy for those 58 games. Bam scoring title even though players who have played the whole season has way more points.

I don't understand how a player that is leading the NBA in total points by almost 300 points, has played virtually every game (Thanks, LeBron!), and has the most 30, 40 and 50 point games cannot win the scoring title, especially to a player like Westbrook, who has missed 14 games and has a video game-esque usage rate (it's almost 40%, almost 10% points more than Harden's).

For the scoring title, I would use a combination of PPG, total points, eFG%, among other things. PPG and total point would have the most precedence though.

 

I doubt it, if for no other reason than the Jazz are a really good defensive team and we need to just take what we can get.

 

30 is a long ways from 35, let alone 40.

The closest I can come to rationalizing the statement that he'd put up 35-40 if he put up "Westbrook-type shot totals" is this:

Westbrook currently averages .632 FGA/minute played. If Harden shot at the same frequency, but maintained his current 36.9 minutes per game, Harden would be taking 23.321 shots per game (FGA/game). Harden is also currently scoring 1.508 points per FGA. Factoring points this way accounts for made free-throws, since it allows him to raise his point total, without affecting his FGA. Assuming Harden maintained his shooting percentages while bumping his FGA/minute to Westbrook's level (big assumption), he'd be averaging 35.173 ppg. Over 35 ppg, yes, but not "well within" the 35-40 point range. It really was a foolish statement.

 

Westbrook shooting below .300 from 3 with a .422 FG%. I'm sorry but that is terrible (in Chuck voice). Your killing your team and its why I away say that Westbrook was the best defender of Durant when Durant was at his best (most efficient high scoring player since Larry Bird).