Harden has a better defensive RPM than Kawhi this year

uh no they are not comparable defensively. stop it

 

I'm not an insecure Rockets fan or a player only fan

I only care about if Harden helps the Rockets win

Look he's not going to win Defensive Player of the Year and I'm ok with it

 

Without reading any comments I can assure you this is the case because Kawhi is asked to guard the best player on the opposing team every night, while we try and hide Harden as much as we can.

 

According to this Stephen Curry is better than Harden who somehow gets a free pass on his defensive ability.

 

Klay Thompson, aka the best two-way SG according to media, has a DRPM of -1.99!

ESPN needs to find another stats soon!

 

We don't try to hide Harden at all. Our switching scheme doesnt allow us to hide Harden.

 

Lol man y’all have to stop this. Harden is not as bad of a defender as the trolls and media say and he’ll never be the good defender you guys act like he is(outside of the post).

He lets people go by him with ease and he NEVER fights over the screen.

He is a great great great offensive player... and he’s so damn good at it that it’s more valuable than almost every really good “two way” player

 

of course they try to hide harden as much as possible. that's not even questionable. doesn't matter if its a switching scheme. the off ball switches still happen more times than not to put houston's defenders on the better opposing players

 

Hardens defense in the post is very underrated. The rockets would not be able to olay the seitch defense that they do if harden wasnt

 

Harden ends up guarding the best players quite often. He especially loves taking the big men on the post.

 

Lol man y’all have to stop this. Harden is not as bad of a defender as the trolls and media say and he’ll never be the good defender you guys act like he is(outside of the post).

He lets people go by him with ease and he NEVER fights over the screen.

He is a great great great offensive player... and he’s so damn good at it that it’s more valuable than almost every really good “two way” player

 

thats bc they hide him to where he can defend a better matchup instead of exploiting him and thats the post. that doesn't mean hou doesnt hide him. hell never be primarily on the opposing teams best perimeter player like kawhi.

 

Capela being so bad on the defensive end is a big part of why the Rockets were/are struggling defensively.

 

Your son sucks at basketball, but not nearly as bad as you did during your prime basketball playing years.

 

Phil hid MJ on defense.

Anyone agree?

 

So Kawhi is allowed to travel now?

 

F-ck you laughing at!?! It's a true statement. Rockets are not hiding Harden on defense like they do Curry etc. If you mean hiding him in the post that's different because it's a trick. Teams are still stupid enough to think Harden is mismatch in the post.

As bad as everyone on the planet thinks Harden is defensively, NOBODY is calling for a perimeter Iso on Harden like they do Curry.

 

Harden's defensive strengths are...

- Low post position defense. Dude is a tank and cannot be moved, he doesn't challenge big guy shots, but does knock balls lose when they put it on the floor.
- Passing lane anticipation. Here is where I think he continues to improve.

He'll never be a great perimeter defender, he just doesn't have the body type and that's why he whiffs sometimes. He's not going to embarrass himself. Although this frustrates me at times, I've come to understand he realizes his limitations.

He's also turned up the hustle lever this year and does his best to close out on jump shooters.

For what he gives us on offense, I'm pretty happy with what he's been able to contribute on defense this year.

 

I agree with you on the kobe/Nash comparison ... what he is doing are things I’ve never seen before as a fan of 30 years