He's still learning. This playoff season, his best games were Game 1 and 2 vs GSW. Previous to that, we were still talking of "playoff Harden." I think he's seeing the level of effort needed to win in the playoffs. Take a good rest in the summer. Morey better shore up the team. And Harden will be ready.
I thought this was interesting: I've always felt Harden relies too much on others to bring the effort and set the tone and he will follow. Kind of like T-mac. Anybody else agree? I hope he learns, he's only 25, people are looking to him for inspiration so I hope one day he will say " I was surprised that I came out flat, didn't play good defense and didn't help my teammates" .
Harden is as how Harden goes. If he and especially the team is having a bad night, I've rarely seen him recover. His body language is different, and the perception of his effort is different. If he's on, he's deadly. You guys all see it, so I'm certainly not stating anything new. BUT, he was still trying at later points in that game last night before it was obviously over. He is just having pretty issues with all attention GS gives him. I haven't seen him get caught not moving and picking up his dribble in the paint so much all year. The spacing is so bad that he has no where to go whether it be attacking the basket or dishing it to someone. On nights like those, we need others to play exceptionally well. Didn't happen. If there is one thing he needs to add to his arsenal, it's the ability to shoot off screens.
I hear you, but he gave his all in Game 2. In Game 3, he was awful as so were the rest, apart from Dwight.
GS has very good rotations on defense but the fact that almost no one could spread the floor by making open shots consistently made it THAT much tougher for Harden to work his magic. People saying he's selfish by taking it on himself are just plain ignorant. I'd do the exact same thing if all my passes ended up in long rebounds for yet another fast break.
or he was just trying to heap on some cheap points to his stat line so the loss wouldn't get hung around his neck.... wanna show me "heart"... play your best for 4 qtrs.... jus sayin.... ...still pissy from last night too...
