[Grantland] Listen to Your Heart: James Harden Is the MVP

Well, that is indeed a popular opinion, and I'd guess most here would think the same if it wasn't our team.

The fact he thinks all this and still wrote that Harden is the most deserving of MVP means that he's not holding those things against him. The reason he points it out is to explain the perception leading to Harden not being the favorite.

 

Jesus... You nailed it. Just send that along with your resume and you've basically got a job at ESPN.

 

That is a thing of beauty.

 

Most pro-Harden thing ever considering the source is f'n Sharp.

 

Guy's an idiot. Harden has bested both his "Best Player" and his most "Outstanding Player" head-to-head. What does "outstanding player" even mean? What about "best numbers?" This guy had to invent a whole bunch of ambiguous different categories that sound more impressive than MVP just to get Harden on his list. This is just damning with faint praise, with plenty of jabs thrown in.

Don't listen to your heart. Look at the cold stats, then watch a few Rockets games and you'll see that aside from "Best Player on Best Team," Harden fits all this guy's categories.

 

I don't follow the Warriors, but this seems like an accurate assumption. I'm legitimately curious. Does anyone who knows more than I do think that the Warriors, given the same massive numbers of injuries we've had (basically everyone except James and no real center for most of the season), would have still amassed a Western Conference leading record on Curry's back alone? The fact that the Rockets are sitting in the 2nd seed right now is nothing short of miraculous. Could the Warriors have done this? I'd like an honest analysis.

 

One thing though that he got right: Harden is the REAL MVP this year. Even if he may not get the votes.

I think Harden's contract stipulates a bonus if he gets an MVP award, but more than that, he knows he needs playoff vindication, and the individual awards will follow.

 

Beat the Spurs, twice if possible, and that narrative will turn.

 

Awesome... This definitely deserves a rep.

 

Boggles my mind how anyone can call Harden's game boring to watch. And yet I see the ESPN media whine about it all the time.

 

Backhanded compliment from an admitted Rox/Harden hater.

**** him.

 

Unrelated, but the thread title reminded me of this classic

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/awMIbA34MT8?showinfo=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

if you use it, it'll be super effective!

 

I just wonder who will be the team to figure out the easiest way to stop Harden?

Stop hacking him! He dribbles, he drives...he gets the first man off balance and attacks. If either the initial defender or the help man comes in hot looking to strip the ball Harden has won his game. He sticks the ball out, gets hacked and takes his free throws. So? Either stand tall and force him to contort and make difficult layups all night or hack him, complain like fouls only matter on half the court and find ways to deride Harden that don't include just admitting that he's ascended to the top of the mountain in scoring the basketball.

 

What you are asking isn't easy. The biggest thing is that it requires a disciplined paint defender. It should be no surprise that we have trouble vs the squads that feature one of these rare bigs (Bogut, Horford, etc)

The easier gameplan against Harden is to trap/double him early and force the ball out of his hands. Pressure him into tougher passes and ruin the offensive flow. He is literally the linchpin of our offense.

 

This.

Spurs are the pretty much the hottest team in the league right now. 2 straight wins would do wonders for his MVP case.

 

Good job following through, Clutchfans.

"Nobody outside of Houston can get mad if Steph wins the award."

Lighten up and grow a pair, collectively, everyone. You're acting like the guy shat in your Cheerios.

He said Harden is the Most Valuable Player this year - the article is a realistic depiction on how close the contest actually is. It won't be highway robbery if Curry wins, nor a surprise to me if Harden (deservedly) takes it home.

If you honestly think FT-laden matches are exciting basketball, well, I'll have to hop camps and respectfully agree to disagree with you. It's not Harden's fault, nor the Rockets. The league has created this style of play over the last 10-15 years, sadly.

Utilizing the framework of the game at hand or winning consistently has nothing to do with the question of watchable basketball. FT-shooting contests are just as lame in hack-a-whomever form (and the blame there is on players with pathetic FT%, not coaches that employ the strategy).

You remember Pistons v. Spurs in 2005? Spurs Cavs in '07? Snoozefests. Good basketball, solid basketball, winning basketball & fundamentals don't necessarily an exciting spectacle make.

Either everyone didn't read the article or couldn't unwind their panties enough to notice Sharp talking about the rest of Harden's amazing game this year.

I do enjoy the laughs when y'all pull out the tinfoil hats and swap paranoid media tales.

 

a win tonight will do wonders for his MVP candidacy.

 

I don't think he used those words. In any case, the article is about him being somewhat conflicted over the decision -- which means he's being thoughtful since there are two good candidates. He is perhaps exaggerating his feelings in both directions as a literary device to emphasize the conflicted feeling within him.

In any case, it comes down to a matter of personal preference. He still credits him for the positive things he brings to the table. It is a fact that Harden exploits the rules of the game and the way in which the refs call games to his advantage. There's nothing wrong with him not finding that particular way of playing entertaining to watch; I see no reason to get angry over this. Given what the article is about -- Harden is the MVP even given the fact that many (including him) find his style of play distasteful -- its absolutely fair for him to bring it up.

For my part, I said a few days ago that Curry deserves the MVP and it isn't close. I'm backing away from that position after thinking about it further and reading this article. Harden has a very good case. I'm pretty much on the fence at this point. There is just no single formula for deciding who the MVP should be. I see good arguments on both sides.

 

Hey, great job on this post. Being a condescending internet tough guy is super hard to do, and something I've never seen before.

To address this specific point - Harden collects free throws by aggressively driving to the basket, often times weaving between two, three or four defenders who are collapsing on him. Often times, while getting swatted at and bumped, he find as way to get the ball up to try and finish.

He's fearless and he goes for it knowing that he's going to get punished. I think its exciting that he plays that way.