In January, Harden looked like the best player in the world playing the toughest single month schedule in the league carrying an otherwise mediocre roster to hold onto 3rd seed. And he did it. Harden is a streaky shooter, but he is not a streaky scorer. He is maybe one of the most consistent scorers in the league. Near 30 points regularly, 80+ times a season, every season he's been here. Your assessment is flawed imo. The way he is playing this season, he has been the best player in the world. If you consider his performance this season streaky, poor defense and too many turnovers, he is still the best player in the world so far this season. If he eliminates one of those, he is having a monster performance. If he eliminates 2 of those, he is having one of the best games of any player this season. If he eliminates 3 of those, he is having one of the best games of all time. It might not be good enough for you, but it is good enough to be the best player in the league according to the same people who crowned Lebron and Curry and Jordan and Shaq and Magic and Kareem and Hakeem. All of whom have weaknesses in their game. All of whom have/had slumps. All of whom won championships. All of whom were suspected of not having what it takes to win a championship. Appreciate the season Harden is having. What he is giving DWARFS what he is not giving. We need to stop talking about it as if it's some balanced argument where he does some things really well and does a roughly equal number of things poorly. That's an irrational analysis. If Harden has 3 main weaknesses then logic would dictate that he must have a few dozen main strengths because he is carrying this team - whose second best player is Eric Gordon - to the 3rd best record in the league, ahead of the world champions. There are 14 other players on this roster more responsible for losses than Harden yet people keep acting like Harden needs to do this and that. Harden just needs to do EXACTLY what he has done so far and we need to thank him for it. He is DESTROYING everyone. Coaches are scared. Defenders are scared. Analysts and pundits are shocked. Instead of getting behind our guy who is putting everything on his shoulders, we keep hearing this ridiculousness. Sick of the inverse homerism, it's worse than dealing with the homers.
I think there is a lot of unfounded Harden hate but I have seen Harden turn ball over and wave his arms saying foul as the entire opposition runs to score while he is still standing back there.
Factually wrong. Harden wasn't even considered as an candidate for player of the month award in January, let alone the 'best player in the world' title. As long as Harden limits his three main weaknesses to one or two, he's good. If he can't, and continues to play like he did in January, it becomes ridiculous to defend him as MVP or best player in the world at that point.
Since you cut my post mid sentence to serve your point, I'll just assume you have no valid arguments except to repeat contextless statements. James Harden is the MVP. Sorry your inverse homerism won't allow you to enjoy that.
McHale the player would still eat everyone on this team's lunch. If not, he'd punch you in the face, literally.
Who says he can't be? I too thought he was the MVP until that horrible January stretch. If you can't criticize a player when he's playing subpar, then your compliments towards that player also doesn't mean anything because it's not based on objective facts and probably motivated by something else. It's like a friend who always showers you with flowery compliments all the friggin' time. Ah, no thanks, your opinion is not valuable to me anymore.
Sure heard a lot of Harden praise in January when he had that 2nd 50 point triple double But I guess we're gonna act like that didn't happen
Harden also shot 42.9% from the field and 30.5% behind the three point line in January. Averaged 6.4 turnovers per game, and probably played the worst defense during this season.
What I mean is We need more play makers. But if we look at the current set up with Gordon and harden on the floor. Gordon doesn't get to create, the ball goes to harden because he doesn't play off the ball. I don't see the quick cuts that he used to take
Harden can play better than he did in January, and no he absolutely didn't perform at MVP level during that month. That doesn't mean it's going to be like that for the rest of this season; already Harden has been better in February, which is good.
Yup, Harden is literally GOD and can do no wrong. Even he shoots poorly for the entire month, turns the ball over like maniac, and plays pathetic defense, always remember folks, Harden is the best no matter what.
I don't know. Maybe my memory is getting fuzzy, but I remember McHale being a load as a player on both ends of the court, and he always seemed to give the Rockets hell. As for the interview (thanks, JR. I read very fast - you saved me some time), I can't disagree with some of his comments about Harden, who can be a decent or better than decent defender when he feels like it (he doesn't always feel like it, obviously), but I did sense some bitterness. Like others have said, it's hard to blame him.
It IS BECAUSE they got title RINGS. Its AFTER you win rings that the narrative changes. If Dirk never got a ring, he might have the same criticisms about him Nash is perceived as MAXIMIZING his physical ability and skills, though he didnt win the ring. While Harden is seen as apathetic and "holding something BACK" from full effectiveness. Harden has to at least get to the Finals to totally change his narrative.
I guess we don't wanna out context in to this equation? No variables? None of the extreme schedule? Most games? Most road games? Most b2bs? We aren't going to consider tired legs? We aren't going g to consider when your tired you don't jump and have the same lift? That when you don't have the same lift, your shot is completely off and different now? No variables? None...? No?