Rockets star James Harden is making offensive history, joining an elite scoring club, but his elevated defense could prove to be the key to a longer postseason run. “James is the best player in the league, you could argue right now,” Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said. “It’s a very small list that you could argue ahead of James. In a lot of playoff series, it comes down to who has the best player. We feel pretty good about those odds.” To Morey, Harden’s defense is now an argument for his spot among the NBA’s elite, rather than against it. Harden has played so well defensively he has largely defeated the narrative about him. It still comes up in conversations, especially when his defense stands out as it did at the end of a win against the Bucks, in which he picked up Antetokounmpo and his reputation was cited to point out the contrast. But it has largely been accepted that his defense has gone from better than the memes to not bad to a strength, the final step largely because of his abilities defending in the low post and as a disruptive, handsy defender. “If people just focused on his defense now and hadn’t had the overhang of what their beliefs were early in his career, he might be making all-defensive teams,” Morey said. “The only difference between him and other superstars who have made all-defensive teams is marketing.” Numbers help make that case. Harden was 11th in the NBA in deflections per game, leading the league with five per game after the restart, up from his overall average of 3.2. He was fifth in steals per game this season, second in the restart. With 125 steals this season, he joined Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson as the only players to lead the NBA in steals and scoring in the same season.
I say they rely on the role players...there’s only so much Harden can do if these guys can’t hit WIDE OPEN SHOTS they don’t even have to be elite, just hit them at an average or slightly above average level...stop all the bricklaying EG better show up...he’s been a joke and an embarrassment all season long Covington and PJ have got to hit shots...PJ u need to hit the corner three at a good rate...yes, u do a lot defensively, but man, u gotta contribute on offense
The other day I was watching the Rockets play with my wife, I looked at her when Harden came back in and said, "Our defense is about to get better." At this point, I don't care who he's coming in for... Harden is the best defensive player on the team. It might be because of his leadership, but I trust him over any other player on our team to make the play. I know we've got Tuckwagon, Covington's Web and Clamp Gordon... but man.. Harden is scary sneaky on defense. James "Yoink" Harden
I'll take Harden's endurance over anyone in the NBA now that he doesn't have 82 games of the highest usage in the NBA to recover from. He won't have to do it for the whole first round, so he can handle it. Chris Paul scored 17 points on 13.5 shots on 44.5% from the field and 27% from 3, 5.5 assists and 3.4 TO's >> almost all career worsts (at $35m after a season's worth of load managing). Harden dragged his a$$ to the second round, and he'll do the same with this team.
This James Harden fellow might become a fine young player. Maybe even be able to make first team all nba in the future.
Breaking news: A playoff team's best hope is that team's best player. Is water also wet? I can't remember.
In equally mind blowing news ... THE SKY IS BLUE!!! (edited out the wet water cuz you know redundancy and stuff) J/J - I love Feigan grew up with the guy right after Eddie Sefko went to Dallas and he's been my main Rocket dude since. I think everyone understood how much of a load James will have to carry even BEFORE Rusty went down. Nothin' New BAby!! Punch that clock and go to work!
Eh. I think it depends more on the team as a whole shooting better from the 3. That's what this whole small ball thing is for, right? This team can't lose 3 point battles and expect to win a series that easily.
I'm with you on this, the roleplayers gotta hit those shots. The rockets are undefeated when they shoot over 40% from 3, and 24-1 when they shoot 37% or better from 3. That's a pretty crazy stat. It's not a revelation that "the rockets win when they are hot from 3", we all know that, but 37% doesn't seem like too much to ask, considering the quality of shots we can get. But as many others have pointed out, playing 48 minutes of small ball every night makes it a lot harder to reliably hit those shots at a high volume.
