James Harden Looking to Add A Midrange & Post Game this Offseason

Obviously we have Hakeem here to help with his post game. What about mid-range game... Calvin Murphy? John Lucas?

 

Dream is the best teacher of post moves. Get 'im for the whole team, Les!

 

Adrian Dantley and Tim Hardaway just woke up. Along with Andre Miller.

 

I think we are all missing something....

He wouldn't shave his beard for a championship!? I'd give my left nut for a chip.

 

How would a step back three be classified as part of the mid-range game?

 

Harden working on his midrange game means:

He comes off the pick and simply pulls up inside the paint for the little jumper while the defenders are setting up at the cup to draw the charge.

They're simply encouraging him to mix it up by using the little pull up 14 footer to keep the defenders honest before he makes those plunges at the rim. I guarantee you they've already broken down the video to him and shown when he should be doing that instead of continuing to the rim and getting the turnovers.

 

Guys, he's not going to have to learn how to play D over the off-season. He already knows the basics, and ten D has to be worked on together. His defensive woes came from playing far heavier minutes than ever before without an off season to prepare for that role,, being the offensive linchpin, and conditioning. He was laying it all out on the offensive end as he learned to anchor the offence for the first time.

Let him.work on condition and his post game, he'll be even more fantastic.

 

coaches tell us he is an elite defender...

...when he tries.

 

Adding a mid range game would make his offense far more unpredictable.

His style of offense is very efficient but can be stopped with strong pick and roll defense and a good paint defender.

Adding a mid range game means the big man would actually have to come out further to help on defense during pick and rolls, giving more room for Harden to simply drive past him.

 

sorry, my mistake. that should read a step back long 2.

 

Thanks for that analysis. Developing Harden's midrange game makes more sense to me now. I thought it meant mid-range ISO jump shots like MJ and Kobe which I don't Harden doing.

Lin said he was developing one and two foot floaters this off-season. Is this off the PnR too? Like pull-up jumpers? and is this considered developing a mid-range game?

 

Maybe Harden would have some energy on defense if he wasn't carrying this team every night on offense.

 

You're the only one who thinks he is a young Jordan Lol.

And Defense is not really all that taught as much as giving it effort. Once someone can effectively relieve the offensive pressure, surely he won't have to save his energy in scoring. But he isn't the only one who needs to work on the effort on the defensive end.

 

Floaters aren't usually considered developing midrange (though some people, like Toney Parker, take and make floaters 12-15 feet away from the basket). Midrange game usually is referring to taking jumpshots.

 

The interview seemed sort of incomplete without that Asian guy interrupting and asking the same question that's been asked 3-4 times before.

"Hey... Hey! James! James..!!"

 

Floaters are great shots when you have a big time offensive rebounder down low.

 

Harden's weaknesses are playing within a team concept before trying to have big games personally, moving well without the ball, acting like the defense hit him 5-10 times per game, even though it never works, & commitment to defense.

Why should we think that he is going to improve in these areas when there has been no indication that he will adjust his fundamental approach to playing how McHale said all season they coached the team to play?

I think Harden struggling in the playoffs and towards the end of the season, the coaches may have been thinking Harden has not been very coachable & in that aspect they were happy to see it may be the only way Harden will learn that they know what they are talking about.

Still, I seriously doubt we will see changes of any significant degree when it comes to these weaknesses next season. He cares too much about his scoring average.

 

Just terrible analysis all around... Hard to know where to even start with how off base you are...

 

My apologies you had one thing right. His commitment on defense has a long way to go.

 

I just hope we don't see the Harden that was pretty much in a slump the entire second half of last season.

It's a real concern.