This series by Matt Moore (Hardwood Paroxysm) deserves more recognition. None of the Grantland sensationalism <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p>Oh, also, if you just like pretty videos of Harden and Curry being awesome, this fun. <a href="http://t.co/23tYYW4LgZ">http://t.co/23tYYW4LgZ</a></p>— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/HPbasketball/status/585832802098216960">April 8, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I felt like Harden had the lead heading into the All-Star break. He was the player of the month in both December and January and was carrying a very weak roster to a Top 3 seed in a brutal West. I feel like he had a slight but clear edge on Steph Curry entering AS Weekend… .455 FG% -- .383 3P% -- .870 FT% -- .611 TS% -- 27/7/6 over 37 MPG (Harden) .481 FG% -- .399 3P% -- .900 FT% -- .620 TS% -- 24/8/5 over 33 MPG (Curry) The big thing here is how close they are in terms of shooting efficiency. 46/38 vs. 48/40 in terms of shooting splits. A slight efficiency lead for Curry but Harden is right there and did it on more volume. Harden was the league MVP at this point. But as much as this hurts to admit, James is a bit of a streaky shooter and has shot the ball poorly since the AS Break before the past couple of games. The Harden from February/March was not on the same level as the Harden from December/January. Luckily, Morey improved our roster enough that Harden didn’t need to have his A+ game every night for us to win. Curry was clearly better in February/March than Harden was. Just look at their post AS-break shooting numbers… .417 FG% -- .377 3P% -- .856 FT% -- .599 TS% -- 28/7/6 over 38 MPG (Harden) .483 FG% -- .514 3P% -- .948 FT% -- .658 TS% -- 24/7/4 over 32 MPG (Curry) The efficiency disparity between the two has been huge since the AS Break. We’re talking 42/38 vs. 48/51. I think Westbrook’s ridiculous volume numbers post-AS have made people ignore what Curry is doing offensively over the same time. He’s shooting at a historic level. He’s making 4.2 threes per game on over 50% shooting! That’s just preposterous. And he combines that historic shooting with great ball-handling/passing skills, and pretty solid defense. Steph Curry is a brilliant player. He’s been the engine of the absolute best team in the NBA this year. He’s a more consistent shooter than Harden and that allows him to be a more efficient player. I believe that both Curry and Harden are worthy MVP choices this season, but I give Curry the slight MVP lead based on his recent play. But I still feel like Harden is within striking distance. I think a Player of the Month in April could be the boost that he needs to re-take the lead over Curry. Harden has started the month off the way he needs to. He dropped 51 to kick it off, outplayed Russell Westbrook on national TV in an epic showdown, and is 3-0 so far with some ridiculous numbers. And now the San Antonio Spurs and Kawhi Leonard give Harden the perfect opponent to stake his MVP claim against. Kawhi has earned a reputation as a bigtime player who shows up against the best and dominates on the defensive end. If Harden can put on a show against Leonard and lead the Rockets to a 2-0 record or atleast a split in these next two games, I think he would re-take the lead over Curry in the MVP race. If Harden plays poorly and/or the team goes 0-2, he can forget about MVP. I’d give Curry the lead right now. He’s just been more consistent the past few months and you do have to give him credit for leading such a dominant team. But Harden was better earlier in the season and if he owns the final month of the regular season, I think he’ll make the best last impression and get the MVP. But to make that kind of impression he’ll really need to play his best against an absolutely scary opponent in Kawhi. I’m so freakin’ pumped for these two Spurs games, especially this one tonight. This is going to be excellent playoff practice for Harden and the team.
Let me fix that for you since you don't seem to understand: Curry shoots alot of 3s AND makes them at an efficient rate. He is going to be THE greatest at something, Harden is not. Warriors are a great TEAM and Curry is the most productive player on that TEAM. Curry isn't hypothetically having a great season he IS having a great season, a season even better than Harden's and he could be even better. Harden is the only creator on the team so he can jack as many shots as he wants and takes more than Curry. His stats are inflated since he gets more touches with Howard out. Curry still puts up similar numbers as Harden with even better efficiency DESPITE sharing the floor with Klay who takes away shots from him and with other teammates having career seasons. Curry makes his teammates better and he does it better than Harden. No one on the Rockets other than Harden are having 'breakout' seasons.
I love how people just assume that when comparing the stats of two players, the circumstances in which they are playing does not matter at all. We all know that Curry is a better shooter than Harden; heck, he might be the greatest of all time in terms of just pure shooting. But when comparing the efficiency of two players, it is always not so easy to make simple generalizations as there are so many factors to consider. First of all, Curry is somewhat of a catch and shoot type of guy and Harden is mainly isolation player. And it is pretty clear which style of play produces more higher shooting percentages. There is reason why Kyle Korver is having the best year of his career in the current Hawks system. They just simply move the ball exceptionally well (Thanks to the brilliant coaching of Budenholzer) I would argue that Curry is a similar beneficiary of this kind as Kyle Korver. That does not mean Curry is not a great shooter on his own. As I said, I think he is one the best - if not THE best - of all time when it comes down to pure shooting. I just think that Curry's efficiency numbers are a bit overblown because the level of one's teammates and the system in which they make their plays greatly influences the accuracy of one's shooting. Let see if Curry or Korver can reach the highly esteemed "50-40-90" (or "50-50-90" in the case of Korver) mark if they are asked to carry a team's offense single-handedly and hence forced to make many isolation plays. I highly doubt it. On the contrary, put Harden in the Golden State, Atlanta Hawks or San Antonio Spurs where they have way superior ball movement and many players with great passing skills, I would be amazed if Harden's overall efficiency number does not increase dramatically. It's just the way it is. Great passing leads to open looks, hence higher shooting percentages. Why is Westbrook's field goal percentage hitting career low at this point? Because he IS the entire offense of his team and have to create his own shot every single time. Plus, he plays tons of minutes so the fatigue factor is also something to consider. I would argue Harden is in a very similar situation, albeit somewhat to a lesser degree. To back up my argument, there is an advanced stat called 'FGM % AST' which calculates how much of a player's field goals have been assisted by his teammate. Curry's current number is at 44%. So, that means almost half of his shots have been created by some kind of team play. Kyle Korver's number is at staggering 95%. That just shows you how dependent Korver is to his teammates and Curry is better at creating his own shot. Harden's number? Mere 28%. For Westbrook, it's 24% so even lower. I mean, Steve Nash was always way better and more accurate shooter than Kobe Bryant even in his prime. When in came to the realm of 'efficiency', Nash really kicked Kobe's butt. But does that mean Nash was better scorer or even better overall player than Kobe? I don't know, but I find that difficult to accept. For me, considering all the relevant surrounding factors, there is no question Harden is better player overall, even if Curry's game might be more efficient. Because Harden really can do it own his own, whereas Curry has yet to prove that.
there's plenty of debatable points in your post but I had to highlight this one. you definitely haven't followed houston this year if you believe this statement is completely true
There is a lot about this post that I disagree with, but it's kind of pointless to go back and forth with a lurker who is clearly on the wrong site. That being said, I really wish you would have addressed my last point made via the gif.
Don't know if it has been mentioned yet, but Harden now leads Curry in RPM. http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/rpm
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Yesterday, James Harden passed Stephen Curry in RPM. Also: Kawhi is a monster. <a href="http://t.co/JXomc9vZc7">http://t.co/JXomc9vZc7</a> <a href="http://t.co/s4NKt3334O">pic.twitter.com/s4NKt3334O</a></p>— Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) <a href="https://twitter.com/tomhaberstroh/status/585785679944294400">April 8, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
With that logic then you can also say Curry gets more easy shots off defense due to his team being better. If GS and Rockets Switch Divisions how different would the record be? Harden is the real MVP
The fact that you do not even try to contest my 'debatable' points makes it seem like you are the one talking out of your ass. Some can be argued, but Curry is having a a great season and is on his way to breaking that 3pt record. These aren't up for debate, these are FACTS. There really isn't much to disagree with except for the last 3 sentences. You're right it is pretty pointless discussing it with a person such as yourself who clearly can't understand what I write anyways evidenced by that poor excuse of a 'summary' earlier. This forum is a place for discussion and if anything you are on the wrong site if you are expecting a circlejerk or a hivemind.
There are actually people who believe Steph Curry is more valuable to his team than James Harden is to his. I can't wrap my head around that. LOOK AT ALL THESE INJURIES. HOW ARE THE ROCKETS THE TWO SEED?
Look, I'm not trying to be anti-discussion. The truth is, one could pull any number of metrics qualitative or quantitative facts to support why Curry or Harden should be the MVP. And they'd likely have some very good points. In fact, there have been some Rockets fans in this thread raising some really great points in Currys favor. My point is, there is no point in engaging with a Curry Stan on a Rockets forum (plus, my summary was bad because your points were bad).
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Best eFG% on potential tying/go-ahead FGA in final 5 minutes of 4th Qtr/OT this season: <a href="http://t.co/u7TsLLKz8M">http://t.co/u7TsLLKz8M</a> <a href="http://t.co/2UEydUKlPu">pic.twitter.com/2UEydUKlPu</a></p>— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) <a href="https://twitter.com/bball_ref/status/585915799350685696">April 8, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Yep. It's funny in a recent podcast, the Warriors homer beat writeup and that tool Amin Elhassan said that "all the advanced stats favor Curry". Wonder if they'll even acknowledge this. So now Harden leads the NBA in RPM, WAR, VORP, and EWA (last 2 are Hollinger stats).
3 pt record haha. who cares about that? look at how many 3s he shoots. its not surprising. did anyone care 2 years ago nope lol.
