I think this has already been addressed. With OKC he has shown to be a very good defender off the bench so I don't know what you're talking about.
Harden wasn't a very good defender off the bench in OKC. At best he was just solid (Morey's words not mine). If he was as you say "very good" he would have started over Thabo. And it is one thing to come off the bench & play D an other thing to be the primary option & starter & play D. We will see in the playoffs. I won't be upset if I am wrong. Book mark this thread if you want. If I am wrong feel free to rub it in my face.
Playoffs will decide whether he truly will be able to ever lead us to a ring. If he is able to step up on both ends, then we are set
I'm pretty sure there's been pretty examples this season when Harden has ramped up his D in high pressure situations as well as with OKC in the past. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/63TDVWnZ5K8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
He has the McGrady syndrome. Tmac was an amazing defender. Borderline elite stopper when he wanted to exerty himself, but the majority of the time he had no inclination to do it regulary.
T-Mac was an abomination on defense. Sure he was a lockdown defender when he was motivated to do so, but how often was that?
During the playoffs Tmac was a great defender. Well, at least during the JVG days when he wasn't gimpy out there.
Harden was a pretty good defender in OKC, and usually drew the best perimeter player when he was on the floor. As far as him coming off the bench, they stated in the past they did it to carry the bench unit.
When Isiah Thomas was suggesting the backcourt have to become lock down defenders many of you were laughing. Lin already plays good defense. Today's game shows Harden has the potential to play great defense as well. It's certainly possible for them to become stellar defensively.
Harden can play d but i don't think that is what the coaches put him out there to do. He's got to conserve energy to be the offensive beast he is when we need him to be. Once we get a second reliable scorer, Harden can focus on both ends of the court. Until then he needs to continue to do what he's doing because it is working and we're in the playoffs.
Somebody should get him pissed more often, thus call less fouls on him cause his Kevin Martin attitude is becoming a problem. You can't rely on the referees, just take it hard to the hoop! Good to see him play defense but it shouldn't just be thing you turn on and off. It's very T-mac like, as some have already pointed out.
it was nice watching him block that shot. he should play d like this every game. He'd be the second best player in the league instead of sixth.
I get happy when teams try to post him up with taller guys, wasted time and effort, Harden is a tank.
