The media agenda regarding James Harden's "defense"

ESPN still knocking on Harden about his defense after his historically brilliant performance. Are you f'.. kidding me?

 

Well, not everyone can play defense at the level of their Jehovah Steph Curry. I mean, how many players in the NBA are at least 12 years old and have the upper arm strength of a hamster? Not many. All hail the glory of the Curry!

 

It's frustrating to be sure. We all understand that it's all done for the sake of clicks. Clicks to draw traffic and get eyeballs on banner ads.

This won't stop when Harden plays defense, it will stop when the ESPN's and B/R's of the world pick up on the next trend. Whatever that may be.

Here's one to add to bad D by other superstars.

<iframe src="https://vine.co/v/igemwErQdwX/embed/simple" width="600" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe><script src="https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js"></script>

<iframe src="https://vine.co/v/iglLDiaZXlA/embed/simple" width="600" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe><script src="https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js"></script>

 

Pretty much anything is better than BSPN. That doesn't say much doe, Bleacher Report is still lulz.

 

This was started by local media, FWIW..

And it looks like he deleted his original tweet.

 

I called it. Harden contaminated them at the Allstar game.

 

geez, looks like ESPN missed the memo about the MEDIA AGENDA to bash Harden's game.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">James Harden: 4 games with 40+ points &amp; 10+ assists this season, as many as the rest of the NBA combined. <a href="https://t.co/jEMcyqLue8">pic.twitter.com/jEMcyqLue8</a></p>&mdash; ESPN Stats &amp; Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/706894778802135041">March 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

what's even worse, Rockets fans are getting the reputation of being butthurt little crybabies.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">So Rockets fans seem touchy today. If only your team's play was as consistent as your outrage.</p>&mdash; Kurt Helin (@basketballtalk) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketballtalk/status/706868662167154688">March 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
c'mon Clutch Fans . . . you're way better than this!! :grin:

 

The media do have an agenda though and its pretty obvious. They do it for the clicks and it's working! Of course someone could find more videos of Harden 'resting' on defense - as they could for any other player in the league and it's not hard to do.

Criticism of Harden's defense at times is warranted and I don't think that anyone would ever dispute that. If the media wanted to write a substantive article about Harden's defense, backing it up with stats, videos, etc. - that's fine! But why ***** on a near perfect performance, where he literally carried the team to a win and did what only two other players in the history of the game have done before? They actually managed to make that one Vine the main story of last night's game, ignoring an incredible performance.

I tell you one thing; if any other star did what Harden did last night (Curry, LeBron,...) they'd be all over it, and they'd sure as hell not post that vine and make it 'THE STORY'.

 

and now you're just feeding the new media narrative of Rockets fans being touchy little crybabies. :grin:

Seriously. I agree with what you're saying, and what others have said about the media downplaying James's big night. But I just don't think it's an "agenda." Get over it. New York beat writers have agendas (just look at the Phil-bashing going on in NYC right now.) If Harden wants the negative highlight reels to stop, he's got to stop getting caught flat-footed and indifferent on the camera. He's on the big stage--and getting paid big bucks to play there. Man up. And I don't buy the stuff about "awww, he's doing too much of the heavy lifting on offense!! he can't possibly be expected to play defense." Again, give me a break. As Kevin McHale used to say, they're not logging tall timber out there. I agree that James had a great statline last night, but James is also the captain of a sinking sub-.500 ship. He deserves all the attention--good AND bad--that he's getting. It goes with the territory.

 

Sooo . . .on the play in question . . . he should have left his man for the open three
rather than trusting his teammates that already had the middle packed?

Rocket River

 

by the way, you may have missed the following item from the Kardashian girlfriend thread, h/t to zeeshan2 for posting this link:

clearly, CLEARLY the reporters at the Harvard Sports Analysis Collective haven't gotten the memo about the MEDIA AGENDA to bash Harden's game, either. :grin: check it out:

 

The answer your looking for is jazz hands. Harden needs to play with Jazz hands. :grin:



Personally I'd have preferred a harder show on the penetration but with his focus more on PPat. His made the right play, but it presents poorly.

It shouldn't be the focal point of his performance, but alas.

 

Not true, it's not like this tweet made someone start an entire thread about it.

Oh wait.

 

Harden's defense WHEN he tries, is very good.

It's a combination of his mindset (need to converse energy because no one else can do anything), his discipline (I have a coach who's younger than Jason Terry, I can cruise on this end) and his conditioning.

Those are the three things holding back Harden from being the best player in the league. Imagine Harden as he is now, playing very good defense.

= Game over.

 

James Haren. LOL

 

Dear forum,

This year the hate is warranted.

Rockets are barely .500

The end.

 

by this logic players that are outstanding on defense but have 0 offensive game to speak of are just a crappy... go tell that to Dennis rodman or Bill Russell

 

Excellent. Good post.

 

They're praising offense but still bashing his D.

Get over yourself and your ESPN nut hugging.

F ESPN

 

Ehh. You guy are too sensitive.

The easiest thing in any aspect of life is to think everyone is against you.