Why are you guys acting blind? He's average 22 points on 14 shots with 10 assists and 7 rebounds in his first 18 games since joining Philly. He's only going to get better in Philly whether this season or next. I do not believe Kyrie Irving locked up anyone in his life, but I'm sure he can score at will on Harden. I really hope they meet in the playoffs.
Sometimes you gotta put the fanboy glasses down instead “oh pLeaSe HaRDeN is GoD” The only person blind here is you dude, if you took a closer look you’d see why even other fanbois aren’t optimistic . Anytime the D has tightened harden looks like a scrub. I’m going to root for him because he’s really the only player still have a connection to outside Pj, CP
Maybe it’s cause he’s shooting 40% from the field (lowest since his rookie year) and 34% from 3 (below league average). If you actually saw him play you’d realize he has zero explosiveness, no lift and looks slower than ever. He’s gotten progressively worse year by year. Players don’t get better at age 32 or the next year. He wasn’t good enough when he was in his prime here and he sure as hell ain’t good enough now. Lol @ acting blind. Stick to your Jalen Green experiments. https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelp...es-harden-stats-you-really-dont-want-read?amp
I caught the end of his last game against Cleveland. He was struggling to get past Markkanen off the dribble. He's lost a step.
With what I’ve seen a couple times in the last 2 weeks to say he’s lost a step is being kind. Maybe he’s injured. Maybe he will dedicate himself to conditioning. But he’s going to have to get back physical attributes or he’s done being an all nba type guy for good.
I could see him bouncing back a little the next few years if he goes on the CP3 vegan diet and/or gets serious about his conditioning. But that'll never happen.
He hasn't lost a step, he's gained 10-15lbs lol It's not the way Lebron has lost a step where even though he's in peak shape he just cannot play defense and offense anymore. That's age related, it's never coming back. Harden can just get into shape, even though it's no guarantee he will. It doesn't really matter. He's the robin now, still a floor raiser, and among league leaders in assists, and the most efficient 22 points in the NBA. Embiid is the primary scorer, Harden is not going to score 30-35ppg with Embiid on the floor and the team built around Embiid. I get it guys, some are still so bitter but it's ridiculous. Give me the declining player who scores 22 on 14 and 10 assists plus his advanced stats shows his on-court impact is among the best in the league. Embiid, Doc, Morey, they will give that guy the max any day. Lillard would dream of having that sidekick. Kyrie is NOT that sidekick, has never raised a floor in his life (arguably the opposite). He went to the line 10 times a game for a long long long time and carried the highest load in the NBA for 5-6 years. I'm sure he'll decline fast like Wade, but it's not what's happening at this moment.
This is what I mean. You act like he wasn't the MVP while shooting a mediocre 45% or something. It's his game, he will always shoot a lower FG% than the elite, and still have a higher TS% because he's smart at getting to the line but has never had supreme athleticism even when they were parroting this deceleration narrative which has disappeared and never been applied to any other player.
Meh. Again, if the biggest gripe about a player is that he's scoring 22 on 14, 10 assists and 7 rebounds in his first 18 games with a team while out of shape.... Yeah, I'm good. I think you are just punching down chief, maybe you have some unresolved anger towards him.
https://www.stitcher.com/show/duncd-on-basketball Dunc’d on podcast today ranking the top 10 players, though it essentially turned into their top 20ish players. Somehow they still ranked this washed bum in the 19-22 range overall.
Not being in shape is also age related. Very efficient, depending on the competition. The questions remain about how his regular season elite efficiency will translate when facing stiffer playoff competition. Can he sustain that efficiency late into a series, when the stakes are highest? But, you make a valid point. He's no longer the number 1 guy. Doesn't have to be the finisher. Hopefully he can stay healthy for a long playoff run and ride the big fella to the Finals. He has as good a shot this year as he's had in any prior year, given that there does not appear to be any super elite teams in the East.
Harden has been over his ideal weight since 2020. It's not new to me, I've been disappointed in that for a while. As for whether it will translate to the playoffs, no one knows. Fans of his think it will, others think it won't. Personally I think he'll be just about the same as he was with the Rockets, which will be the best sidekick Embiid ever had and Embiid will be BY FAR the best teammate Harden has ever had. I was just responding to the notion that he's lost a step cause of his age. I don't see it. If he were this weight when he was 27, he would play this "poorly".
why can't it be both, he ain't young anymore. It can't be just 100% weight, every person loses steps at that age regardless of weight.
