I really don’t get it when it comes to Giannis, his defensive counting stats don’t back up him being DPOY. I’m not advocating for Harden to be but I don’t think there’s as large a gap between the two as the media portrays it to be.
Chuck and Dray are being stupid. Harden would have been just as good in Chuck's era. This is not frail Steph we are talking about. Harden is not just strong as a bull, he is durable as hell.
They’re gonna give it to Giannis again for best record. I don’t even give this MVP thing anymore. It’s like the Corona virus... they’re not really clear on the criteria, policies, nor the relief package.
Media already has its winner picked and its not harden. Harden as a mvp finalist is there as a prop to provide some legitimacy. It is what it is
And the DPOY, when he hasn't earned either. Bucks still win and play lock down defense without Giannis. Take Harden off the court for 3 minutes and our team falls apart.
I don't think it is based on "the best player of the year" either. It is voting for the Prom King...the person the Media Ass Kissers want and adore. Just like high school. Harden was given his deserved MVP so the media can now vote for their FAVORITE PLAYER...not MVP. This is why the criteria for MVP is always changing. It's a favorite player award, not MVP. Harden will never receive another MVP...unless it is a Finals MVP.
all accurate except for the last part. harden will never win finals mvp, and that will be even more clear a month from now as zebras continue fcking him as they have the past several years and particularly in this bubble. maybe harden wins a title later in his career as a complementary player elsewhere
I certainly don't The Greek Freak deserves an DPOY...unless elbowing is now an acceptable sanctioned defensive technique. Or throwing a hard pass at an opposing team player's head. The only DPOY the Greek Freak deserves is Dirty Player of the Year.
man, would i love to force everyone's eyeballs open and make them watch about 10 straight 1980's and maybe early 1990's basketball games and have them say with a straight face that fouls didn't used to be called. it's just comical that the back-in-my-day-ers of the world have somehow gotten this myth to stick. not only did it not happen that way, but the 80's guy are taking credit for what the late 90's/early 2000's guys went through, the guys who actually had to play in a rough era. and yes, the idea that super strong james harden would be suffering in a more physical era is even dumber. like when people think lebron would struggle when he would be the most physically imposing perimeter player out there. seriously, watch a mid-80's game. not only do the refs call fouls at an almost stupefying rate that would make even the softest game today look rough and tumble (i literally just started hitting the 30 second fast forward button every time a foul was called during a lakers/celtics '84 finals game because i couldn't watch any more free throws), but players committed so many stupid fouls. not hard fouls. not playoff fouls. just constant reaching. i know now why going to the basket was always considered such an amazing thing. because almost every drive was met by people trying to strip the ball. did turnovers happen sometimes and clean steals happen? yeah. but so many fouls. even on out of control drives. or drives by weaker offensive players who should have just been challenged to make the shot. they just gave points away. there were so many more free throws and fouls back in the day and these people literally think there were fewer and hardly anyone ever got a foul call. it's the exact opposite of history.
Problem is, the eggs are already in the cake mix. Harden was getting fouled all over the 3 point line against GSW. All game long, Reggie and CWebb, "How is that not a foul?" After our loss, they handed those announcers the script they dutifully read: "Once again, James Harden could not close the deal..."
if no major players are forced to sit out any playoff games, no one is going to put any legitimate asterisk on this year. just like no one takes asterisk talk for the lockout years seriously. now, that logic is battling the houston championship asterisk curse so maybe it will catch on if we win, but that would be the only way.
I watched the whole thing, but here's what I felt (because I distrust Draymond): He asked the question about James Harden because in the end what he wanted to say was that Durant is the best offensive talent ever. He didn't have a platform for making this statement unless he proposes the question. Nobody is thinking about the Warriors teams right now and he's feeling butt hurt about that. F that guy. If he had so much "respect" for James Harden then why was he hacking him in a dirty way in all our Game 1s?
He said greatest scorer is Durant, I actually believe this. KD is the greatest scorer I’ve ever seen. But that doesn’t mean Harden isn’t the greatest offensive player, there is more to offense than just scoring.
Although I love Harden and thought he got slighted last season, I'm not sure this season has been up to his normally high standards. He had a 20 or so game stretch where he couldn't hit a three and has had way too many games where he's been cold without many of his normally 'big game' moments.
I also agree that Durant is the greatest scorer of all time. Harden is top 5 all time for sure. But what REALLY separates Durant from the pack is his ability to get a good shot in any condition. Harden has to step back to get separation. Steph needs screens to get a shot off. Durant can just shoot over defender all day. He's really a 7 foot Kobe Bryant. Its ludicrous.
Giannis is just entering his prime. Media will give a pass for getting eliminated in your early 20s. One or two more earlier than expected exits and his playoff performances will also be scrutinized.
The media is far more critical of Harden then players who have done far less in the playoffs. They are still living off of his San Antonio meltdown and the no defense highlight package. Harden has been to two conference finals as a Rocket and only lost to one of the greatest dynasties of all time. He was the best player on a 65 win modern day juggernaut that was inches and a hamstring away from a ring. Harden has had bad playoff games but his narrative is unfair. His regular season excellence is also consistently belittled as a product of a system. Sure not everyone does this but the reality is that he’s judged on a totally different level than any player I’ve ever seen.
