Harden’s game seems to mesh with any player

[GrayGoat]

Durant? Yep, Westbrook? Yep, CP3? Yep and now him and Wall looked good together. Hardens game is weird in that you don’t think it would but players EAT with Harden. :biggums:

[GreatHILL]

john wall is a 10x better player than harden

[Stanley Kobrick]

john wall is a 10x better player than harden
:violin:

[GrayGoat]

john wall is a 10x better player than harden

John Wall’s best series was getting bounced by midget Isaiah Thomas lolol

[Stanley Kobrick]

John Wall’s best series was getting bounced by midget Isaiah Thomas lololisaiah thomas has been the best celtics player in 10 years ;)

[GreatHILL]

John Wall’s best series was getting bounced by midget Isaiah Thomas lolol

that midget team was way better than the wizards.

[GrayGoat]

isaiah thomas has been the best celtics player in 10 years ;)

If you want my attention you gotta open that mouth a little wider ;)

[LoneyROY7]

The Elevator.

This man had Russell Westbrook shooting damn near 48 percent last year lmao. You want to elevate your game? Join James.

:pimp:

[Kblaze8855]

Westbrook took a career high number of 2 pointers and an 8 year low in 3 pointers last year. That tends to bump up shooting percentage.

[LoneyROY7]

Westbrook took a career high number of 2 pointers and an 8 year low in 3 pointers last year. That tends to bump up shooting percentage.

Playing 4 on 3 because Harden is getting doubled at half-court tends to bump up shooting percentage as well.

[Kblaze8855]

Not Chris Paul’s apparently. He hit his 10 year low...and then shot even worse the second year. But unlike Westbrook he took more threes in Houston not less. Which makes me suspect the 3s are the difference when we are talking raw shooting percentage.

[LoneyROY7]

Not Chris Paul’s apparently. He hit his 10 year low...and then shot even worse the second year. But unlike Westbrook he took more threes in Houston not less. Which makes me suspect the 3s are the difference when we are talking raw shooting percentage.

So you're saying taking more 3s lowers your overall FG percentage? No shit. :oldlol:

Paul still had a great season his 1st year in Houston, 19 and 8 on 46 percent and 38 from 3. Year 2 he just wasn't looking like the same player, he wasn't moving well and was struggling to beat his man. Good on him to rejuvenate himself and bounce back, but it is what it is.

[Kblaze8855]

No shit?

So....what are we talking about then?

You seem to grasp that shooting less threes raises fg% so what’s your issue with me saying Westbrook shooting less threes raised his?

[LoneyROY7]

No shit?

So....what are we talking about then?

You seem to grasp that shooting less threes raises fg% so what’s your issue with me saying Westbrook shooting less threes raised his?

Because that's not the only factor. If Westbrook stops taking 3s, but continues shooting a bunch of contested or long 2s, his FG percent is still gonna be low.

I mean he's taking 3.8 3s a game right now on Washington and he's shooting 42 percent from the field. He shot 3.7 3s a game in Houston and shot over 47 percent from the field. You tried to simplify it to just "2s and 3s", but it doesn't work like that.

[Kblaze8855]

First....I don’t think most anyone’s 4 game averages are likely to hold. If Westbrook shoots few threes going forward he simply will shoot better than otherwise. I don’t think either of us disagree. The rockets had him damn near playing point center at times. Weird ass approach obviously but it and not shooting dumb pull-up 3s are obviously the main reason he shot better. I don’t think that’s worth arguing about. Lots of things bump up your shooting. Dwights shooting numbers improved from the year before when he went to Houston but it wasn’t because of Harden....unless you credit Harden with Dwight not getting to create as much.

He shot 72% last season for the same reason. Make a guy play on the edge of the offense instead of his usual role he likely shoots better picking his spots unless that new role is nothing but threes.

None of this is new information I’m sure.

Harden doesn’t seem to really improve other stars....them shooting better or worse is a matter of threes and playing smaller roles in offense I’d say. Add to that the fact he apparently got 3 of them traded....I’m not sure he’s meshing that well overall.

Could be a personality thing though. As Isiah once said the secret to winning is that it isn’t always about basketball. People have to get along to some degree. All pull the same direction. We can’t say who has been at fault but it seems he comes into conflict with the approach of all his star teammates in Houston.

Maybe it was Dantoni ball though. Guess we will see.

[LoneyROY7]

So much wrong there. :oldlol:

The point is playing with Harden improved Westbrook's 2-point shot quality. He was seeing wider lanes with less defensive attention, particularly when he was playing 4 on 3 due to Harden drawing consistent doubles. The numbers are there...Westbrook had arguably his 2nd best season playing alongside Harden. Now he's off in a weaker conference playing with a solid star in Beal, and he's winless.

Harden makes players around him better. I'm sure that fact bothers you, but it doesn't change the reality of it.

[Kblaze8855]

Playing on a team that says take a 3 or a layup and has the 3 highest 3 point attempt seasons in history(the last 3 years) no doubt makes driving lanes wider. When James sat back to back games last year in the one Westbrook played he shot 48% then then next game both sat and Eric Gordon had 50 on only 22 shots.

The Dantoni style has been making for career seasons for 15 years for the people it fits. Kyrie is now doing 28 a game on 54/47 while Durant does 28 on 52/54 since we are apparently taking 4 game sample sizes serious.

Better numbers on teams designed to facilitate them isnt the same thing as being better at basketball.

[LoneyROY7]

That D'Antoni system right? It's gotta be the reason. Honestly, James would be hopeless without it...

...or he would just drop lines like this to start the season:

https://i.ibb.co/6mN5RpM/Screen-Shot-2021-01-01-at-7-56-08-AM.png

Keep them narratives coming.

:pimp:

[Kblaze8855]

He was like a 4 time all star before Dantoni. He was going to the hall of fame anyway. And now with the higher pace and limited defense allowed? Of course hes gonna produce....like all the other great guards. But I think hes hopeless?

I suppose its easy to counter points you make up yourself. Thats probably why people do it.

[LoneyROY7]

37/11/5 on 53 and 45.

"...like all the other great guards."

Nah, not like any other.

:pimp:

[Im Still Ballin]

James Harden.

[Shooter]

john wall is a 10x better player than harden


Instaban

[Manny98]

Not really

CP3 & Westbrook had to completely alter their games to accommodate Hardens playstyle

[Wally450]

Surely there's a couple rings to show for it then right?

[StrongLurk]

Harden is legit one of the best offensive players of all time and is an amazing player. His production since he joined the Rockets and became a starter is insane. Harden's problems are mostly his intangibles, he's a bad leader and doesn't handle pressure well in the playoffs.

He's basically the Charles Barkley of the 2010's which is a huge compliment overall, but comes with some baggage.

[HBK_Kliq_2]

Is this sarcasm? They all get traded from him and never even make the finals lol