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View Full Version : Why does Harden CRUSH the rest of the NBA?


StrongLurk
11-27-2019, 10:56 PM
When it comes to scoring? I keep seeing people on ISH say he has inflated stats...yet he led the NBA in scoring by like 7 points last year...and he is ahead by 8 points this year.

When was the last time someone lead the NBA in scoring by that many points? My guess would be MJ or Wilt.
Marchesk
11-27-2019, 10:57 PM
Not a Lakers @ Pelicans thread :facepalm
Marchesk
11-27-2019, 10:59 PM
Damn Pelicans hitting those threes.
Marchesk
11-27-2019, 11:03 PM
Harden only 27 tonight. Damn Heat getting crushed against a good team again.
StrongLurk
11-27-2019, 11:05 PM
Harden only 27 tonight. Damn Heat getting crushed against a good team again.

27 in only 27 minutes.
Marchesk
11-27-2019, 11:07 PM
27 in only 27 minutes.

Wilt-like.

To answer your question, Harden is the perfect player for taking max advantage of this current era. Ball dominate, tons of threes, able to draw fouls, fast first step, crafty, good enough passer so you can't always double. And he's patented that step back they let him get away with.

And as I type, Davis just drew a Harden foul on the perimeter with the arm flail.
Indian guy
11-27-2019, 11:15 PM
Ummmm because he's really good?
ImKobe
11-27-2019, 11:50 PM
When it comes to scoring? I keep seeing people on ISH say he has inflated stats...yet he led the NBA in scoring by like 7 points last year...and he is ahead by 8 points this year.

When was the last time someone lead the NBA in scoring by that many points? My guess would be MJ or Wilt.

They are inflated. Tell me another player who's taking 14 threes per game.
LoneyROY7
11-27-2019, 11:56 PM
They are inflated. Tell me another player who's taking 14 threes per game.

How does that make them inflated? Taking that many 3s hurts his overall percentages, which people love to point out...so it's give and take.
tanibanana
11-27-2019, 11:59 PM
Simply because he is that good.
ImKobe
11-28-2019, 12:08 AM
How does that make them inflated? Taking that many 3s hurts his overall percentages, which people love to point out...so it's give and take.

Not it doesn't, the Rockets are on top of the analytics game, he's never been Steph Curry from three but the math obviously works out in their favor, at least in the RS. I'll give him credit for being durable and consistent at what he does, but the 3s aren't hurting his overall efficiency.
FKAri
11-28-2019, 12:08 AM
In-canon explanation: ball dominance.

out-of-canon explanation: He is pushed (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_professional_wrestling_terms#push) in the regular season so he can serve as a jobber (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_professional_wrestling_terms#glorified _jobber) in the latter stages of the playoffs.
LoneyROY7
11-28-2019, 12:18 AM
Not it doesn't, the Rockets are on top of the analytics game, he's never been Steph Curry from three but the math obviously works out in their favor, at least in the RS. I'll give him credit for being durable and consistent at what he does, but the 3s aren't hurting his overall efficiency.

Yes they are lol. He's shoots over 56 percent in the paint...and is shooting just under 44 percent overall from the field. He would be shooting a higher overall percentage if he took less threes.
ImKobe
11-28-2019, 12:38 AM
Yes they are lol. He's shoots over 56 percent from 2...and is shooting just under 44 percent overall from the field. He would be shooting a higher overall percentage if he took less threes.

It's not about the FG%. You think it's by chance that the % of shots he takes from 3 have gone up with each season? It's all by design. The only 2s he takes are layups/dunks, he can't get that on every possession and it takes more out of him to attack the basket, he can get that three every time down the court and the Rockets are trying to push the pace so it works heavily in their favor. They've gone from one of the slowest teams last season to being currently ranked 2nd in the league in pace.

He shot 36.8% from three last season, that's more efficient than the 52.8% he shot on 2s (1.1 pps vs 1.055). They also took 45 threes per game and had the highest ORTG in the league despite only shooting 35.6% on threes as a team. Heck, they're 3rd in ORTG right now despite shooting 33.3% on threes while attempting 45 a game.
LoneyROY7
11-28-2019, 12:48 AM
It's not about the FG%. You think it's by chance that the % of shots he takes from 3 have gone up with each season? It's all by design. The only 2s he takes are layups/dunks, he can't get that on every possession and it takes more out of him to attack the basket, he can get that three every time down the court and the Rockets are trying to push the pace so it works heavily in their favor. They've gone from one of the slowest teams last season to being currently ranked 2nd in the league in pace.

He shot 36.8% from three last season, that's more efficient than the 52.8% he shot on 2s (1.1 pps vs 1.055). They also took 45 threes per game and had the highest ORTG in the league despite only shooting 35.6% on threes as a team. Heck, they're 3rd in ORTG right now despite shooting 33.3% on threes while attempting 45 a game.

I'm obviously very aware of the analytics lol.

I'm also aware that the amount of 3s he takes creates an excess of missed shots he wouldn't have otherwise...regardless of the value of said shots.
ImKobe
11-28-2019, 12:58 AM
I'm obviously very aware of the analytics lol.

I'm also aware that the amount of 3s he takes creates an excess of missed shots he wouldn't have otherwise...regardless of the value of said shots.

He misses more shots but he also generates more points than he would otherwise, thus his ppg average is inflated as a result.
yeaaaman
11-28-2019, 12:59 AM
When it comes to scoring? I keep seeing people on ISH say he has inflated stats...yet he led the NBA in scoring by like 7 points last year...and he is ahead by 8 points this year.

When was the last time someone lead the NBA in scoring by that many points? My guess would be MJ or Wilt.

Well I would say watch him play and it becomes apparent. He's a fairly good 3 point shooter but extremely streaky. The difference is he cominates the ball like crazy, shoots probably 15 threes a game regardless of how many he hits and is very good at hooking players arms on drives and reaching under them while raising the ball up in no attempt to actually score but rather draw a foul. When he does this he works himself to like 14 fts a game.


Now keep in mind, opposing teams know all this and often shadow him to the rim but once he has even a quarter step they know the whistle is almost surely going to follow so they just let him lay in an uncontested layup. So between that, a push shot here or there and a guy standing by the rim to dunk it, it opens up the court for him.

So, say he shoots 8-29 from the field but 5-17 from 3, you have 21 pts and add in 16-17 from the line and boom 37 points right around his average on 29 shots and "what an electric game by Harden!"

So I don't really think teams care if he "crushes" them because he's yet to show it'll actually translate to the playoffs.
LoneyROY7
11-28-2019, 01:03 AM
He misses more shots but he also generates more points than he would otherwise, thus his ppg average is inflated as a result.

:facepalm :facepalm

That's the give and take I was referring to. That's not inflation.
DMAVS41
11-28-2019, 01:07 AM
You can say it is all inflated and ugly...and I'd kind of agree with the ugly aspect.

However, the dude produces elite offenses every year since this really started.

I think they've had a top 3 offense each of the last 4 years...I know they had the best or 2nd best a couple years in a row.

That immediately should show everyone that there is value in what he does.

Forget the individual numbers...his team offensively is elite.