Is James Harden's success in Houston proof Manu Ginobili could have been a star as the lead dog?

I do get what you're saying, Horry is a very particular case though. Those guys like that are not making the Hall Of Fame while Harden actually has a pretty good chance at doing so at this pace, considering he continues to make 1st teams and plays at an MVP level.

Whether you like it or not it still goes on his record as an accomplishment. Along with his two gold medals. That stuff the actual Hall of Fame considers, not just making big shots. Fisher isn't making hall of fame..but Chris Paul has a good chance at going in. Even though Fisher has had more playoff success than CP3.

It's also silly, Harden had two bad series in his career and he's 25 and you're holding that against him. Lebron has had a bad series in the finals...Kobe too (That Celtics series) so you are faulting him for not being perfect.

Not only that, saying that he will never be more valuable than Zach means you are also ignoring that he's 25 years old. Which means he could actually get better (and has since his first year here to now...) and you just ignore that. Every positive thing you ignore and go back to "Well...the Finals."

That's nice, but still he's a more accomplished player than Zach Randolph is and at 25 to Zach's 33.

Again, I get what you're saying. Zach is memorable because he was on some teams that went deeper in the playoffs.

But at the same time so was Harden...and at the same time Harden is a NBA first teamer, probably perennial all-star, MVP candidate, and twice gold medalist.

 

actually I think last year was worse than the finals. harden and the rockets were the clear favorite going in and lillard outplayed harden - a second year player.

I know it's a tough pill to swallow but there is no way harden can live that down.

that is primarily why people are on curry's joke, because the kid has done something in the playoffs. You might think this is a small matter because harden is 25, but he's just one more bad series away from getting labelled as a playoff dud.

 

No way to live that down? Again, he's 25. If the Rockets make the WCF do you seriously think people will be thinking about that series? It'll just be "Oh, Harden was young and still learning how to lead a team."

Dirk was labeled a choker until he won and so was Lebron. You are writing the book on Harden before his career is even half way done.

He could be labeled a playoff dud like CP3 has been but they both would still be better players than guys like Randolph.

As for Curry, if they lose in the first round guess what will happen? People will say the warriors choked and if he wins the MVP and is celebrating it at home they will laugh about that too. Also Harden has done more in the playoffs than Curry, you're just flat our ignoring it.

 

I don't really know if the NBA or the Euroleague develops a player better. They are different, focusing on different skills and talents.

But it is reasonable to assume that the NBA prepares a player better than Euroleague for the NBA game.

If you are a great ocean swimmer, you probably would also be great at swimming in a pool. But if you want to compete in pool swimming, it makes sense to train in a pool rather than in the ocean.

 

In what's world, Harden is not perfect at age 25, therefore he will never be as good as Zach Randolph

 

All things remaining equal, you would have to believe a 25 yr old rookie who was a star Euroleaguer would be more prepared and do better than a 20 yr old rookie NCAA player.

 

Manu as the lead dog would probably get you around
22 ppg
6.5 Apg
4.8 rpg

Not quite on hardens level

 

That's a good point. Their rookie numbers (especially the advanced stats) are remarkably similar. Ginobili's development in Europe should give him an edge over Harden's short career in the NCAA.

I was thinking about comparing the two players at the same age, which would not be fair.