He's arguably having the best season in Rockets history,but do you now trust Harden in the playoffs?

He definitely did except for when he did not.

 

What I will say is another game 6 quit job is totally unacceptable. I don't mind losing to Warriors but please no quitting from anyone

 

NO.... but I trust him more now than last season. He's improved and more clutch this year.

 

@vlaurelio

 

I trust him now. He has great help and they are a much better defensive team.

 

I trust your good intentions, but you gotta know which direction this thread will go. Judging by the first page, I'm probably not coming back here anytime soon.

 

I will NEVER doubt regular season Harden. He is a beast.

Harden averages MVP numbers in the playoffs, but when it is time to win, when everything has been there for the taking, he hasn't been able to push through. I'm in wait-and-see mode. Game 6 and 5 destroyed me as a fan. Harden's amazing season has brought me back from the brink. I'm scared of what we might see in the playoffs with so much expectations.

I will say that I trust the supporting cast to pick him up when he goes into those bewildering spells of "WTF" basketball.

 

Morey finally got him some legit star help with the addition of CP3

Harden didn’t have anyone else to rely on when the pressure was all on him...he didn’t have anyone to run things effectively if he was having a bad game

now he has that

 

It'll be nice to have someone he can listen to in CP.

In the playoffs, you always need another player to step up. Tim, Shaq and Kobe would've won less rings without Horry. Doesn't mean those three aren't proven champions.

 

I will also say that even if I don't fully trust in Playoff Harden, it isn't fair that Harden has this "choke" label on him when he hasn't had a running mate to take the pressure off his peers have benefited from.

Lebron has made it to the Finals by himself, but he hasn't won by himself.

Curry, KD, Kawhi and Russ have not been able to do it by themselves either.

Dirk and Wade have essentially won by themselves. I thought/think Harden was/is good enough to do what Dirk and Wade did. It's probably the main reason why I have been so pissed when Harden has came up short.

However, It does feel like Harden is finally on the same level playing field as his contemporaries now that he has CP3.

 

In his first 5 years in Chicago, Michael Jordan lost in the first round of the playoffs 3 times, in the conf semis once and conf finals once. Not once did he get the Bulls to a winner-take-all game (5 or 7) in any of the losing series. So many disappearing acts, until Scottie Pippen arrived to help.

After MJ's first 3 years, the Bulls were 5-15 in the playoffs and had gotten bounced in the first round every time.

 

Is this supposed to be a legitimate argument?

 

Oh for the title.
The person who had the best season in Rockets history is Hakeem Olajuwon in 1994.
He won MVP and Defensive Player of the Year and the Finals MVP.

Harden can only win 2 of those.

So, 2nd best season in Rockets history.

Yes I know nobody now cares about defense, but it's pretty important and being the best defensive player and offensive player is a feat for supreme legends.

 

You thought Paul George was better.

Bow your head in shame.

 

Can I like this post more than once?

No one remembers this. So many superstars go through something like this too.

You mentioned MJ. What about Dirk? He was too soft to ever be able to lead his team to a championship. Remember Lebron's early career? People said he wasn't clutch and that he was afraid of the big moments, and that he passed during clutch moments instead of taking the shot. Kevin Durant was a beta... (well ok, he still is).

But the point is that there are lots of examples of sports writers giving crap to a superstar player- saying something about his game or about his ability to lead a team to a championship. No one remembers that about Lebron or MJ or Dirk. Harden leads Houston to a championship- even if there is a couple of sub par games during the playoff run- and no one will remember this ridiculous argument anymore.

 

Kk that makes total sense

 

What's hardens playoff PER?

 

I have trusted James Harden since the day we traded for him.

 

always have. In 4 of the 6 conference semi Finals Harden was great and in game 6 i am convinced he had concussion

 

21.3 for his career...22.5 with the Rockets

his Rockets PER is good for 21st all time right ahead of D-Wade