3 replies to this topic

[2016Champions]

Seems like it's the consensus now among general NBA fans that James Harden is not a top 10 player. Funny what a 11 minute of a player not playing defense can do to his public perception. Someone on youtube made a pretty neat response to that video, showing that it's just as easy to make a video collaboration making Harden look like a phenomenal defender:

 

There's no denying that the intricacies of team defense seem to allude James Harden more times than not, I can't remember ever seeing him hedge on an off-the-ball screen, but that same thing can be said about guys like Carmelo Anthony, Derrick Rose, Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving, Monta Ellis... ect. Yet for some reason James Harden seems to get a lot more flack for his defense than these guys do. Is it just me or is James Harden becoming one of the most hated players in the league? 

Edited by 2016Champions, 31 July 2014 - 08:47 PM.

[2016Champions]

txtdo mentioned in the chat box that there's a video of Kevin Durant, Harden, and Paul George playing king of the hill at a Team USA practice that's a must see video. I believe he was talking about this: 

[txtdo1411]

That is the video I was talking about. It's about the best thing we have to watch right now in the off-season. Harden's shot looked extremely confident. I have a feeling by age 28, that step back of his is going to be one of the deadliest shots in the game. 

[2016Champions]

Even though the analytics suggest that mid-range shots are the most inefficient shot in basketball, a newer study has shown that mid-range shots are actually more efficient than contested 3's if there is less than 3 seconds on the clock. That step back-midrange shot Harden is diligently refining into a sharp weapon may very well indeed become one of the deadliest shots in the game one day, in the sense that it will be a reliable go-to move against the toughest of defenses during critical moments. 

Edited by 2016Champions, 31 July 2014 - 09:44 PM.