Honestly, I don't think handchecking would even slow down Harden. He's too strong and his handles are too good. He would feast on defenders back then just as much as he does now.
How do the stats favour TMac? As I just showed, the bulk of the statistics are in favour of Drexler. on the ppg McGrady is ahead (on more shots and an 32% usage to 24%), and he has 0.2apg more - what else did he have more of? One might expect that if Drexler had the extra usage (ie, was required to carry the team) then he may have scored an extra 2-3ppg and garnered an extra .2apg (at least). Surely the stats speak loudly in favour of Drexler. TMac is in Gilbert Arenas level of player. Nice stats, but not a winner (although maybe I am harsh on Arenas, who actually managed to lead a team out of the first round - so the argument as to who was better out of the 2 of them may be in his favour?) TMac had an unhealthy obsession level about him, people overrate him because he could do a lot of different things on a basketball court. Drexler is an NBA legend - a legend forged by multiple deep playoff runs.
You're using T-Mac's usage rate as a knock on him though, when it should be the opposite. That means they depended on T-Mac more than they depended on Clyde, and that T-Mac had more responsibilities. Matter of fact, T-Mac has the highest usage rate in Rockets history. He had to carry the team on his back. He's also #5 in Rockets history in value over replacement, #5 in plus/minus, #6 in player efficiency rating, #3 in PPG, and #6 in assists per game. I get that you're trying to make a point that Drexler was better, but let's not act like T-Mac was a scrub. He was a top 5 player in the NBA before injuries. Even Kobe said he was best player he ever played against.
I don't think I said TMac was a scrub - just not an NBA legend. Good player, but not an 'annals of history' type guy. As far as his teams not being talented - I dunno... they were good enough to go to the 2nd round without him... Would history reflect more kindly on McGrady if he made deep playoff runs? Maybe? But he didn't, so it is what it is. I guess you disagree, all good. Not here to rehash arguments on this topic!
Is it absurd to already consider him the 2nd best? I know Clyde won a ring, and Moses Malone was pretty damn good too, but Harden is up there.
If he wins an MVP this season and the Rockets make it to at least the WCF, then he has a pretty good case for the 2nd best. Until then, Moses is still on top. However, it is only a matter of time for Harden, because 3-4 more years of good production from him and the 2nd greatest Rocket spot will be his.
Calvin will always hold the record on James for the loudest dress attire in league history, it will be interesting to see what Calvin has to say about Craig Sager tomorrow night because he's the only one to ever hold a candle to Calvin in the dress department. RIP Craig Sager, dude love you.
I remember Before the Clyde trade, his Blazers had become average and were trending down after their NBA finals matchup against the Bulls. I was expecting Clyde to be an upgrade over Maxwell, but the Rockets got the "Glyde" version, a guy who was still good enough to be the primary star of a team, but yielded to Hakeem. The Drexler we got was amazing, especially when you realized he held back to support Hakeem's reign. Clyde fit the Hakeem team like a glove. Hardens excellence will be how he makes his teammates better in hope for a title. And he's showing he can excel here. And McGrady always had Yao next to him. I am a huge McGrady fan, but the injuries never let him reach his true potential. Harden is reaching Hakeem's status as second best player in Rockets history, he just needs to keep going. I think he's making the case very well.
TBH I think harden would be really good defensively if he could hand check. He's one of the biggest guards in terms of strength and just pure size (6'11 wingspan) he's lateral quickness is more than good enough right now to be decent on that end and then you let him put one of those hands on a player, well that guys not going to be able to dribble to far. Offensively we'll never know but once again harden is huge he's a big 6'5 in height and has the mass of a lot of the pf playing right now. I feel his skill set would translate in any era Just like Lerbons. And the even more ironic thing is Hakeem is prob the only big of the last 50 years that would prob be even better in this era than the one he was the best in 20 years ago. Hakeem and harden are real franchise players is really all I'm getting to. You can win a chip with guys like them as your best player. We're very lucky to have had the pleasure to watch both of these guys and harden is really just getting started in his prime.
