https://www.basketball-reference.com/about/bpm.html Also just by the mere eye test Westbrook has been better. Harden is only better at holding off big men in the post area due to having more mass and length. Westbrook is a far more willing runner and mover of his feet on transition and perimeter defense.
I am aware of the stat and the basis for the stat. It just isn’t a very accurate measure. For example it has in the past had Westbrook as a better defender than Klay Thompson. Defensive stats lag behind offensive stats and largely are based on the quality of the defenders on the court with you. That is why players like Lopez rank so well in Milwaukee. The closest “clean” defensive stat is opponent field goal percentage at different distances and frequency of shots as released by the NBA. It is extremely accurate and charts who defends who. Last I looked at those stats Harden was better than Westbrook (but that was before the Harden injury almost a month ago). Even that stat doesn’t take into account blown switches and poor defensive execution. Both have been guilty of that, although I think Westbrook is worse but it here are no commercial numbers for it. I just don’t put any value Into DBPM. In the past it has had guys like DeMarcus Cousins as a top 5-10 defender in the league and Curry as superior to Thompson. Just a lot of obviously wrong conclusions.
I hope Harden’s teammates keep this energy so Harden doesn’t have to carry them again, as he does year after year.
The inevitable course of the championship in favor of the Lakers is the popular opinion for sure but you have to play for the love of the game and not worry about that.
The Utah Jazz always have the lamest excuses whenever they lose, especially to the Houston Rockets for obvious reasons!
F' Zdog. Seriously.. I won't go any further because Mental illness is no laughing matter but seriously F* that guy.
