Harden didn't have a trash team last year... kawhi didn't have a great team last year. Who said anything about giving anybody credit. KD is 7 foot tall and one of the best pure scorers in the history of basketball who can get his shot whenever he wants. I can't stand him or curry.. but what about when he was in okc? Still a top 3 player
I think another thing that makes Harden even more valuable is that I don't agree with your 28 is his peak age. His game is not build around speed or raw athletic ability. He is one of the few players that still can improve in skill and knowledge and with Harden's type of game it is more important than being a few years younger and slightly faster.
First learn how to read I said harden had an okay not trash cast While kawhi had a pretty good not great cast And kd had had a superteam around him Kd is a great scorer but he needed a super 70 win team around him While harden is a great scorer and playmaker who can push a bunch of role players to 3rd seed overall in the west behind a super team, a multi star great team, and ahead of a championship and couple more super star teams What has kd achieved in okc without wb and harden? What has kd achieved in okc without wb?
First I wasn't quoting you directly... second you still didn't mention hardens defense in ANY OF THAT. You all that act like putting harden 5th IN THE LEAGUE is some kind of knock is a joke. Who guarded Lebron during that series? What has KD done without Westbrook/OKC etc? Hardens been to the conference finals once by himself and Dwight was the best player during that run. Also the spurs are a multi star team? Kawhi and who? LMA was a ghost once kawhi got hurt. Again you have your opinion fine... but I'm not gonna choose harden who is an incredible player over a 7 ft sf who plays BOTH ENDS and can get his shot whenever he wants
I would agree with OP. 5th. Although I think he's much closer to Curry than the media would give him credit for. (I have either Kawhi or Durant over Curry all day). Also, controversial opinion incoming: Lebron is really close to falling out of the top five. In the past three years he's actually 7th in WS/48 minutes, trailing Curry, Durant, CP3, Kawhi, Harden, and Westbrook, and 5th in total win shares. He gets the benefit of the doubt from me because he's Lebron (and also because no one else has really screamed "this is my league now"), but statistically he has not been the league's best player for a while.
you are a f*n joke to even mention about Harden's defense this year.. pretty sure not a true rockets fan.. and for sure not a knowledgeable NBA fan either same deflections per game as Westbrook and Rondo more than Lebron, Anthony Davis, Durant same loose balls recovered per game as Lebron, Anthony Davis, Draymond Green more than Durant and Klay same charges drawn as Lebron, Anthony Davis more than Steph Curry, Butler, George double that of Durant, Kawhi, Westbrook, Klay more 2pt shots contested than Lebron, Kawhi, Curry, George, Westbrook, Butler more 3pt shots contested than Lebron, Durant, Kawhi, Curry, Westbrook more overall shots contested than Lebron, Kawhi, Curry, Westbrook, Butler same defensive reb % as Lebron slight lower than Durant better than Kawhi, George, Butler, Klay, Curry and lastly, similar defensive rating as Lebron, Avery Bradley, Ariza, slight lower than George and don't get me started that LMA disappeared against the rockets when Kawhi got injured you're now trying to say that Spurs is not a vastly superior team than the Rockets??? 3-1 reg season 2nd seed over all 6 more wins HCA Pops >>>>> MDA LMA, Green, Gasol, Parker, Lee, Mills, Simmons, Ginobli, Dedmon >>>>> Ariza, Capela, P Bev, Ego, Williams, Dekker, Harrell, Nene total number of rings of Spurs roster including coach >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Rockets and BTW, so why did the certain "7 ft sf who plays BOTH ENDS and can get his shot whenever he wants" lost 3 straight after a 3 to 1 lead? did he not play both ends? or he can't get is shot whenever? or both also with WB, what's the farthest has he took OKC to? *rocketseagles begins scouring the internetz for videos of Harden not playing defense in 2016-17
I forgot this is clutchfans where if you say anything negative you're a hater. Harden is worth every penny and is an incredible playmaker. He can be if he wants to be but thus far he's not been a good defender... period
are you honestly saying that he was not a good defender last year? so if his defense was at par with lebron, are you admitting as well that Lebron and wasn't a good defender las year? let me know if you've read the statements below and if you don't understnad them or question them I can show you how to look those up same deflections per game as Westbrook and Rondo more than Lebron, Anthony Davis, Durant same loose balls recovered per game as Lebron, Anthony Davis, Draymond Green more than Durant and Klay same charges drawn as Lebron, Anthony Davis more than Steph Curry, Butler, George double that of Durant, Kawhi, Westbrook, Klay more 2pt shots contested than Lebron, Kawhi, Curry, George, Westbrook, Butler more 3pt shots contested than Lebron, Durant, Kawhi, Curry, Westbrook more overall shots contested than Lebron, Kawhi, Curry, Westbrook, Butler same defensive reb % as Lebron slight lower than Durant better than Kawhi, George, Butler, Klay, Curry and lastly, similar defensive rating as Lebron, Avery Bradley, Ariza, slight lower than George
I watch the game... I don't need your stats. On ball he wasn't bad.. off ball he still gets lost very often. I'm not going to go back and forth with you trying to make me look like an idiot for saying he wasn't a good defender last year. Westbrook is not a good defender by the way. And while you're trying to make me look dumb you're mentioning AVERY F'N BRADLEY in the same sentence as harden in a defensive conversation.. lmaoooo. You have your opinion and I'll continue being and idiot/hater for thinking harden isn't an all world defender and not a top 3 player
I love Harden, but let's keep it 100, he was still below average defensively last year he gave more effort, was good at contesting 3 point shooters, had his moments defending the post, and he didn't have as many mental lapses this past season tho
I included Avery because we're talking about defense. you think he's a bad defender as well? LOL @ back treacking and moving goal posts you went from a bad defender to not being a "world defender" what's a "world defender" anyway? so Lebron and Paul George aren't world defenders then which superstars are "world defenders" then?