Actually it was Harden who lead OKC through the western conference playoffs to the finals... And the year before OKC got Harden... With KD, Westbrook, and Jeff Green they only won 23 games _ they drafted Harden ---> and then they make the playoffs. KD is the ultimate scorer. None better. But he always fell in the "Koby Category" as in he doesn't make the players around him better... He's just now learning how to do that. Harden has been doing that since day one and is much better at it than KD (and Kobe). That's why when players like Kobe and Durant don't have multiple all-star talented players and other good players surrounding them _ their teams are usually lottery teams. Different story with Harden. LeBron is on another planet... But when it comes to KD and Harden _ I'm not losing any sleep at all because we have Harden and not KD.
I wouldn't quite go that far and I'm one of hardens biggest supporters and honestly believe he can join the ranks of KD and lebron. With that said KD is still the better player because he does things you can't teach as does harden but KD is 7 ft talk harden is 6'6. I do think harden does things better than KD like playmaking and as crazy as it sounds he can be a a better defender also. I think after this yr the nba will consist of 3 major power players. And that's whatever team has lebron whatever team has KD and whatever team has Harden. It's just gonna be a matter of talent around those guys because IMO there a level ahead of every other player in terms of elite scoring passing and clutch factor. IMO lebron and KD still have the best shot their better ..... But harden is on their trails and catching up...throw in Howard who is the best big in the game and we have something lebron and KD don't have and can't get. Theirs no one like Dwight.
If you take under consideration that KD has another feared perimeter player on the court with him in Westbrook, Surge who plays away from the basket _ his driving lanes are a lot cleaner. Harden really didn't have another perimeter player that defenses had to necessarily worry about and Howard plays right under the goal so there's usually a defender(s) by the basket... He doesn't get the same spacing that KD gets and has to drive through and into a lot more traffic. So when taking that under consideration _ that's darn good for Harden. Stats are meaningless without tape.
During the Thunder's trip to the finals, Harden averaged 16.3pts, 5.1rbds, and 3.4asts. Durant averaged 28.5pts, 7.4rbd, and 3.7ast. The Thunder's first year in the playoffs, Harden averaged 10 pts in 23 minutes/game. Durant carried that team, averaging 30 ppg. Without him they probably win 30 games. He hasn't been as much of a playmaker because he's alway had Westbrook handling that duty. I couldn't say yes fast enough if OKC would trade us Durant for Harden.
KD isn't on LeBron's level. And I'm not arguing that Harden is better than KD, just saying KD's team has not been successful without multiple highly talented players on the court with him _ same goes for Kobe. Harden has proven he can do more with less... At least in the regular season anyway. I'm expecting a better showing from him in the playoffs next year. Howard is great but the NBA is about perimeter play _ Harden needs another running mate on the perimeter with him. That helps both him and Howard.
KD is on that MJ plane of existence as a scorer, what he lacks in versatility, he makes up for and then some in being the slender god of scoring. And all players need multiple talented players to get anywhere in the west these days.
Westbrook only played 46 games last season. Durant shot almost the same percentage at the rim with westbrook off the court. And I'm pretty sure Perkins and Adam spent most of their time around the rim. Difference is, their defenders weren't nearly as worried about them as Dwight man would be. I get it, stats are meaningless when they don't agree with you. If you had actually watched any tape, we wouldn't even be having this discussion.
Durant didn't have to worry about stepping up and guarding guys like Kobe and Manu either. Guess you weren't paying attention or don't remember. And if you got your wish _ OKC would still be the better team and would probably still have more success than the Rockets.
First off, once Howard steps away from the goal _ the defense really doesn't have to worry about him. You're going to try to argue your point with half a season... And use Perkins who only played in 62 games and both he and Adams aren't heavy minute guys. Great job
Sefalosha spent plenty of time guarding those guys as well. That's the whole reason he started for them. That doesn't being to explain the difference in their numbers. If we had Durant instead of Harden, we'd be a lot closer to contention than we are now. Even if that didn't close the gap with OKC, it would be a huge step in the right direction.
Perkins and Adams played more minutes combined than Howard did, and there man doesn't have to worry about them no matter where they are. OKC had 23 starts from guys like Perry Jones and Andre Roberson, and 61 from offensive nonfactor Thabo Sefolosha.
Plenty of time...??? Sefalosha hardly played in the playoffs against the Lakers. In the 4 games that OKC won he averaged around 18 minutes and was a minus (+/-) in 3 of those games. They had to bench his @**. So you're saying OKC would still be the better team right...??? Westbrook and Harden would go bananas and Westbrook never had a problem giving up the ball to Harden. And the Rockets would have a hard time matching up. They can have Perk and Adams wrestle with Howard and Serge can jump on Durant. The Rockets only hope would be for Beverley to attract Westbrook's meniscus...Lol. But you can wake up from that dream and just be happy with Harden and watch him grow and get better. Or just keep day dreaming about Durant who can't get his team out the western conference without Harden.
I love Harden but he is no where near the player KD is. Even on offense as sick as Harden is KD is on another level, he can drive, finish in traffic with ease and can shoot from anyplace on the court. I mean the guy has unlimited range
Thabo averaged 22 minutes. He played 18 vs Lakers, and 25 vs the Spurs. The question is not which team would be better after a Harden/Durant trade, it's which team would be improved, and which would be worse. OKC has more talent after the top 2 guys than the Rockets. That's not even a question right now. It's funny you rip a guy for not making the Finals without a guy who can't get his team out of the first round.
QUOTE=WinkFan;9171556]The question is not which team would be better after a Harden/Durant trade, it's which team would be improved, and which would be worse..[/QUOTE] OKC would still be better than the Rockets and in 2 years when KD's contract is up and he heads off to Washington _ the Rockets would be up a creek without a paddle. You didn't even consider that huh. Please show the quote where I "ripped" KD... Lol. You're the person around here ripping Harden and bent all over for K's-D. Get your @** out of OKC's grass and get back in your on yard and appreciate what you got.
That comment is way worse than anything I said to rip Harden. I haven't ripped Harden at all. I'm a big fan of Harden. I'm just objective enough to acknowledge the fact that Durant is at another level. I'd trade Howard for Anthony Davis, too. Doesn't mean I don't like Howard. I just like the Rockets more.
Both Kobe and KD have lead their teams straight to the lottery in the west when they didn't have multiple all star talented player(s) on their team with them... That is not a rip it's a fact _ the truth. There's no debating that. Harden has a point guard that doesn't have to be guarded in Beverley... A center with an offensive game that comes and goes and is useless outside of the paint... And a young PF who it seems all of Houston is down on.... And he also has McHale. You're not being objective if you ignore those things. The Rockets aren't 5h1t with out the players. A team has to have players to put in the uniform. This is the pros _ not high school or college. Agree on Davis though
