1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

[WSJ] James Harden Is the Outlier of the NBA

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Deuce, Jan 9, 2019.

  1. Deuce

    Deuce Context & Nuance

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2001
    Messages:
    26,575
    Likes Received:
    35,637
    Great article from the WSJ with tons of data and charts.





     
    JeffB, Deckard, Roc Paint and 11 others like this.
  2. Os Trigonum

    Os Trigonum Contributing Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2014
    Messages:
    72,469
    Likes Received:
    110,429
    that is a great article!
     
    Killatron 2000 likes this.
  3. ryano2009

    ryano2009 Member

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2009
    Messages:
    7,620
    Likes Received:
    4,997
    I.D.I.O.T

    Great read and love how passionate the front office is toward the team.
     
    ramotadab and Deuce like this.
  4. Deuce

    Deuce Context & Nuance

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2001
    Messages:
    26,575
    Likes Received:
    35,637
    They are spreading the word!
     
    ryano2009 and Killatron 2000 like this.
  5. durvasa

    durvasa Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2006
    Messages:
    37,910
    Likes Received:
    15,377
    Good article. Salty comment section.
     
    noppeper and ramotadab like this.
  6. Deuce

    Deuce Context & Nuance

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2001
    Messages:
    26,575
    Likes Received:
    35,637
    LOL. Thought the same. An ENTIRE article built on EFFICIENCY and this is one of the comments....

    So, you are a WSJ reader (educated?) and that is your takeaway?

    It is easily obvious to spot the "plain haters" versus people that are open to facts and analysis.
     
    Rock Block, Blurr#7 and clutchdabear like this.
  7. hakeem94

    hakeem94 Member

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2016
    Messages:
    30,803
    Likes Received:
    41,420
  8. heypartner

    heypartner Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 1999
    Messages:
    62,498
    Likes Received:
    56,094
    not even a 1/5th of the way into the article and need to stop to post this:

    "Westbrook is delightfully inefficient."​
     
  9. Mathloom

    Mathloom Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2008
    Messages:
    18,155
    Likes Received:
    17,961
    Why do I feel like we paid someone and sent them all the data for this article? It is the WSJ after all.

    Anyhow, Harden deserves the good PR right now. Not just for what he's producing, but more importantly:

    1) Where its coming from: a transcending kind of leadership which is dropping jaws and shaming whiny teammates without saying a word; and
    2) How the numbers are leading to an insane rate of wins. When Kobe went on his streak, it was not about wins. This is all about wins.
     
    JeffB, Rock Block, BigShasta and 7 others like this.
  10. heypartner

    heypartner Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 1999
    Messages:
    62,498
    Likes Received:
    56,094
    Still not enough talk about his layups. He's going to the line, because he's such a threat to score on drives. Despite all the foul trips on layups, he still actually converts more than Kobe did.

     
  11. durvasa

    durvasa Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2006
    Messages:
    37,910
    Likes Received:
    15,377
    I am convinced that most NBA fans, or at least most who bother to comment about it on the internet, are haters in some way or other. Saw it on here towards Donovan Mitchell in the playoffs a year ago. Whether it’s jealousy, or rivalry, or whatever, sports fans tend to struggle with objectivity.

    We complain a lot about how the national sports media hates on Harden, but my view is that they are pretty balanced, when you exclude the ones who’s job is predicated on being highly opinionated, as compared to ordinary NBA fans who happen to not be Rockets fans.
     
    hakeem94 likes this.
  12. Deuce

    Deuce Context & Nuance

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2001
    Messages:
    26,575
    Likes Received:
    35,637
    Thank you! That EXACT quote was pretty telling. "Delightfully" is an interesting word to describe something poor. A pretty "teflon" descriptor if I ever saw one.
     
    hakeem94 likes this.
  13. Deuce

    Deuce Context & Nuance

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2001
    Messages:
    26,575
    Likes Received:
    35,637
    JeffB, kevtse, Jake Tower and 2 others like this.
  14. duluth111222

    duluth111222 I.D.I.O.T

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2006
    Messages:
    3,303
    Likes Received:
    3,020
    Can somebody post the full article? It needs subscription. TIA
     
    Blurr#7 likes this.
  15. heypartner

    heypartner Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 1999
    Messages:
    62,498
    Likes Received:
    56,094
    Aside from the ballhog comment, that's close to how Popovich would've criticized Harden and MDA (not publically) before his analytics team proved the math to him.

    And that's not really even disrespect to Pops. It just shows you how revolutionary Harden is, and became, when surrounded by a Coach and GM who were prepared to explore the limits of the 3pt line, and it's effect on layups and FTs. And Harden upped it by improving that ridiculous Step Back to primary-weapon status.

    And it shows you how backward and slow the game was to figure out the 3pt line. I mean, pretty sure NCAA embraced it faster. That Arkansas team comes to mind, and I know Bobby Knight talked about it being the first to embrace it. And Coach K changed his offense to shoot the most 3s with Battier, on the way to the title.
     
    JeffB, Deuce, noppeper and 1 other person like this.
  16. noppeper

    noppeper Member

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2004
    Messages:
    362
    Likes Received:
    425
    One thing that a lot of these articles are failing to mention, and is perpetuated by all of these screaming sport "journalists" (and random WSJ comments) is that Harden has almost completely eliminated the gimmicks and negatives that have led to so much criticism of his game.

    He now rarely hooks opponents arms, swings his arms under defender arms (unless actually being impeded), he doesn't seem to be embellishing with his head when getting hammered, doesn't jump into mid-air defenders, etc. Yes, he is getting fouled, but most of the time, he is LEGIT getting fouled, simply because his defenders can't stop him.

    In addition to this, he is consistently playing defense with focus and hustle, and there are many instances where he is taking the challenge on the defensive end against the opponents top tier offensive players. It's not that he is getting "chosen" by opponents, it's that HE is the one who is taking on the challenge of defending the best.

    Both of those points I feel will help Harden finally dominate in the playoffs, since he won't have to rely on refs and he is building habits to be a difference maker defensively. Once that happens, a lot of these pundits will have to actually pay attention and realize this is not your father's Harden. The Oracle crowd saw it first hand in that last game, and I feel like NBA fans in general will as well when the playoffs roll along.
     
  17. macan

    macan Member

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2017
    Messages:
    6,878
    Likes Received:
    10,487
    haha loving Tad Brown tagging SAS and Max Kellerman
     
  18. Classic

    Classic Member

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2007
    Messages:
    6,101
    Likes Received:
    608
    That was a very satisfying lunch read
     
    Os Trigonum likes this.
  19. treyk3

    treyk3 Member

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2008
    Messages:
    8,716
    Likes Received:
    16,052
    ITT: People showing off that they sub to the WSJ.

    Weird flex, but ok.
     
  20. DaneB

    DaneB Member

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 1999
    Messages:
    1,862
    Likes Received:
    337
    Can we post the article so that those without a subscription can read it too?
     
    Blurr#7 likes this.

Share This Page

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now