One of the best playmakers ever! crazy he is also one of the best scorers ever. The versatility to do whatever is asked of him on every team is just not celebrated enough. Instead always gets hated. Should have been a multiple-time MVP.
Man this is a the James Harden I envisioned when people used to say he was a ballhog but they didn’t understand it was because of the DiAntoni system, seeing him take catch and shoot 3s, attack closeouts, take more midrange shots, be more efficient with his touches, just beautiful to see what his game looks like in a different context… one of the most talented offensive players ever
James Harden's playmaking abilities are in my eyes the best in the league hands down. And people act like he can't get in his bag and give u a 40 ball whenever he wants to. I think he can. He's such a weapon whether it's inside outside passing pick and roll or deep 3 he can do it all. It's mind-blowing how anyone could ever say he's washed up. They must not know the game. Btw he has only slowed down his scoring bc Philly is Embiid's team and he wants him to get a ring and an MVP. Harden is a top 10 player ever in my mind. And top 5 as far as a walking bucket
The thing about Harden is he's accepted a playmake-first score-second mindset after those Brooklyn rosters, and with Embiid on the roster they don't need Harden to score 40 a night simply because Embiid is second in PPG on I believe 65% TS. I believe Jokic and Haliburton still have better playmaking vision (On how they find layup passes so often), but Harden's fundamentals are so good that he nearly never turns the ball over to find a pass.
@@Time_Lapse_Master. Harden probably throws the best lobs in the league as well and that dates back to when he had Capela. He use to make Clint. Look like he was Shawn Kemp out there. Joking is a different animal all together. Maybe the best passing big man I've ever seen. James just does everything well. Great to see him in this role. I do believe he can get 40 if he wanted to. He's only taking 12 shots a game these days as opposed to double that on Houston
He can. What goes unsaid, is that in Houston, he was asked to go and get 40 every night. He was not a selfish player there and led the league in assists one year there while leading the league in scoring. That was D'Antoni's plan and he executed it. Chris Paul and Harden didn't work out mostly because Chris Paul didn't like D'Antoni's plan and CP3's injuries seemed like they would always happen at the worst time. D'Antoni's plan was great for the regular season, but not so much in the Post-Season. 3's or bust was his game plan.
He cannot Or technically, I'm sure he could chuck his way to an inefficient 40 a night, but it would result in less games won vs now. I say this as the biggest Harden fan hoping he wins one this year. It's obvious he doesn't have the same burst after the injury, despite being improved vs last year. He can't blow by people with ease anymore, and often has to muscle through a ton of contact to get his points, decreasing his efficiency drastically Nevertheless, you shouldn't expect a 33yo player to be putting up consistent 30+ games, not unless that player is Lebron James, who has traded his soul for extended youth, or KD, who is 7' of unfairness
It's crazy how the sixers got the shooter/playmaker/free throw hunter player they wanted in return for what now amounts to an overpaid bench warmer. If they go less than a finals appearance this year then it's a disappointment.
the fact that he ddnt make the all star team this year is wild they be talking bout harden is washed but the guy is still averaging 22-6-11 in 45-40-87 splits we just got so accustomed to him dropping 30+ every night
He is one of the best, but he was the best. He absolutely deserved 3 MVPs in a row. Those isolation numbers from the Rockets days are outrageous. Too bad the media just wants to hate on him.
@@jasonmoukala8909 You are flat out wrong and blinded by media bias. They gifted Westbrook's MVP. in 2017 at Harden's expense. The Thunder finished 6th in the west and is often the reason given for not giving a deserving player the award. Harden led the league in assists, and was 1 rebound per game short of averaging a triple double. We all know that Steven Adams gave up several rebounds per game to pad Westbrooks rebound stats and he would stay in games just to get his stats. In 2019 the media made up its mind before the season to derail Harden and crown Giannis. Harden had several historical runs doing things that had never been done. Most 40 point triple doubles and over 1 month of averaging over 40 points. He did this because he had to for the team to win. Unlike many players who score ridiculous points only to lose the game. D 'Antoni and Morey both wanted the team to be constructed that way and play that way. Harden was just following the game plan, but he gets blamed as being a ball hog. It's never been true. Giannis did not deserve the first MVP award. Definitely the second one, but not in 2019.
@@TheSpadre fr. Better than getting none I guess. People don’t like efficiency. They want explosiveness, dominance, flashiness. Not the simple grounded yet score efficient gameplay.
Houston's hyper-analytics would've worked and it almost did but they forgot to factor in one aspect of the game: Psychology. That historic number of misses from 3 was less of an anomaly but more of a product of a negative feedback loop created by missing a few couple of shots, which is understandble, but compounded by the pressure and intensity of the playoffs, mental fatigue, and insecurity. The players were probably subconsciously trying to not miss the shots and as a result, overcompensating and missing. More shots miss snowballed into more and more shots missed and had they adjusted to shoot more comfortable shots, despite being inefficient, just to regain their rhythms, they wouldve had a chance to become chance to win it all. But alas, a team needs both efficiency and adaptability to win in the playoffs.
It's also a product of a blatantly rigged series. Everyone saw them not calling the fouls on Hardens 3pt shots and only calling it when he made multiple 3s to wave off his points when it should have been multiple 4pt plays turned into 0 plus the "missed" fouls which amounts to 12 fta or more. Then they were letting GS get away with the most obvious moving screens of all time and letting draymond poke Hardens eyes out on multiple attempts because Harden dunked on him. Dude was more impressive in 2018 then pretty much every recent ring.
He has always been a great mid range shooter, just didn't shoot from there because it was less efficient in the MoreyBall, Dantoni style. Now its more necessary for his game.
great video, one note, his subtle off ball game this year is, in my opinion, a much better pairing for a guy like embiid as opposed to off ball guys who are track stars like seth curry and jj reddick. not that they dont both compliment embiid, but that harden being the more subtle option and not running his man into the post guy, helps keep the flow of the offense cleaner for embiid, its easier for him to see where the double is coming if the perimiter guys are more static or only one guy is cutting.
Arguably the 2nd best guard in the East behind Dmitch, hoping his playoffs woes are solved by not being a team's entire offensive engine and therefore not being able to be targeted to the extreme degree he was in Houston.
8:46 i don’t believe harden would’ve been able to be that relaxed if lebron was actually stunting or attempting to make something happen on D he was dead just standing there
If I need a 1 on 1 guy to shut down an opposing creator, it's Jrue no doubt, and he's probably the best point of attack defender due to the fact that screens just don't exist with him there. Overall though, I think Smart has the very clear edge as a team defender, offering much better help, some nice rim protection, while still being a super flexible man defender in various different spots. I'd say Smart, but it's definitely a discussion worth having.
Why do y'all love pulling out these random ass "record" stats. 21 ppg 62% TS and 10.5 APG. Those are some of the most random baselines just to compare Harden alone to Magic.
One of the best playmakers ever! crazy he is also one of the best scorers ever. The versatility to do whatever is asked of him on every team is just not celebrated enough. Instead always gets hated. Should have been a multiple-time MVP.
💯
All-time great offensive engine, for sure.
Giannis did not deserve that MVP over harden. Harden averaged like 40 a game, we'll never see an offensive juggernaut like him again
its kinda wild how underrated he has gotten bc of a down year due to injuries
For sure, him not making the all-star game was an absolute travesty!
Ikr, everybody forgot how insane he played the whole time just because he hurt his hamstring, and AS IF HE HURT HIMSELF INTENTIONALLY 😂
Well he still hasn't really proven himself in the playoffs. That hurts anyone's image except Jokic apparently
That was how many years ago? When did he get injured🤣and y is he so shitty inna playoffs y he always score under 10 pts in game 6’s🤣
The media and the league hate him.
Man this is a the James Harden I envisioned when people used to say he was a ballhog but they didn’t understand it was because of the DiAntoni system, seeing him take catch and shoot 3s, attack closeouts, take more midrange shots, be more efficient with his touches, just beautiful to see what his game looks like in a different context… one of the most talented offensive players ever
James Harden's playmaking abilities are in my eyes the best in the league hands down. And people act like he can't get in his bag and give u a 40 ball whenever he wants to. I think he can. He's such a weapon whether it's inside outside passing pick and roll or deep 3 he can do it all. It's mind-blowing how anyone could ever say he's washed up. They must not know the game. Btw he has only slowed down his scoring bc Philly is Embiid's team and he wants him to get a ring and an MVP. Harden is a top 10 player ever in my mind. And top 5 as far as a walking bucket
The thing about Harden is he's accepted a playmake-first score-second mindset after those Brooklyn rosters, and with Embiid on the roster they don't need Harden to score 40 a night simply because Embiid is second in PPG on I believe 65% TS. I believe Jokic and Haliburton still have better playmaking vision (On how they find layup passes so often), but Harden's fundamentals are so good that he nearly never turns the ball over to find a pass.
@@Time_Lapse_Master. Harden probably throws the best lobs in the league as well and that dates back to when he had Capela. He use to make Clint. Look like he was Shawn Kemp out there. Joking is a different animal all together. Maybe the best passing big man I've ever seen. James just does everything well. Great to see him in this role. I do believe he can get 40 if he wanted to. He's only taking 12 shots a game these days as opposed to double that on Houston
He can. What goes unsaid, is that in Houston, he was asked to go and get 40 every night. He was not a selfish player there and led the league in assists one year there while leading the league in scoring. That was D'Antoni's plan and he executed it. Chris Paul and Harden didn't work out mostly because Chris Paul didn't like D'Antoni's plan and CP3's injuries seemed like they would always happen at the worst time. D'Antoni's plan was great for the regular season, but not so much in the Post-Season. 3's or bust was his game plan.
He cannot
Or technically, I'm sure he could chuck his way to an inefficient 40 a night, but it would result in less games won vs now. I say this as the biggest Harden fan hoping he wins one this year. It's obvious he doesn't have the same burst after the injury, despite being improved vs last year. He can't blow by people with ease anymore, and often has to muscle through a ton of contact to get his points, decreasing his efficiency drastically
Nevertheless, you shouldn't expect a 33yo player to be putting up consistent 30+ games, not unless that player is Lebron James, who has traded his soul for extended youth, or KD, who is 7' of unfairness
@@jac6548 and Steph
Watching James Harden makes me want to go outside and go hoop more than any player
James Harden amazing evolution great playmaker
It's crazy how the sixers got the shooter/playmaker/free throw hunter player they wanted in return for what now amounts to an overpaid bench warmer. If they go less than a finals appearance this year then it's a disappointment.
Morey is a Genius, he makes the best of the cards he is dealt
Harden barely gets free throws now. Only 6 FTAs per game this season, in his prime in HOU he was getting to the line 11-12 times per game
Oh trust me harden gonna have his signature 6 pt game 6 game and lose inna 2nd round
the fact that he ddnt make the all star team this year is wild they be talking bout harden is washed but the guy is still averaging 22-6-11 in 45-40-87 splits we just got so accustomed to him dropping 30+ every night
He will make All-NBA
Great video.
Shows how Harden is the most flexible player alongside players like Lebron in today's nba
Wym by flexible
@@jioreyes5838 I meant to say that he can adapt quite easily and change his style
@@jioreyes5838 sus
I root for him to win so much man. Dude is beyond talented
Last 2 games: 52pts, 30asts, 3tos
That part. Son is surgical
That's crazy how good he is and they disrespectful towards him... He gonna hush alot of ppl in the playoffs...
I hope so man. Its his time to show out
Glad someone has finally recognized how well Harden has been playing. Thank you!
He is one of the best, but he was the best. He absolutely deserved 3 MVPs in a row. Those isolation numbers from the Rockets days are outrageous. Too bad the media just wants to hate on him.
3 mvps in a row? Not even close
@@jasonmoukala8909 You are flat out wrong and blinded by media bias. They gifted Westbrook's MVP. in 2017 at Harden's expense. The Thunder finished 6th in the west and is often the reason given for not giving a deserving player the award. Harden led the league in assists, and was 1 rebound per game short of averaging a triple double. We all know that Steven Adams gave up several rebounds per game to pad Westbrooks rebound stats and he would stay in games just to get his stats.
In 2019 the media made up its mind before the season to derail Harden and crown Giannis. Harden had several historical runs doing things that had never been done. Most 40 point triple doubles and over 1 month of averaging over 40 points. He did this because he had to for the team to win. Unlike many players who score ridiculous points only to lose the game. D 'Antoni and Morey both wanted the team to be constructed that way and play that way. Harden was just following the game plan, but he gets blamed as being a ball hog. It's never been true. Giannis did not deserve the first MVP award. Definitely the second one, but not in 2019.
@@TheSpadre fr. Better than getting none I guess. People don’t like efficiency. They want explosiveness, dominance, flashiness. Not the simple grounded yet score efficient gameplay.
He's legitimately one of the best playmakers and scorers of all time
One of the the best players in the game and continues to be so
Houston's hyper-analytics would've worked and it almost did but they forgot to factor in one aspect of the game: Psychology.
That historic number of misses from 3 was less of an anomaly but more of a product of a negative feedback loop created by missing a few couple of shots, which is understandble, but compounded by the pressure and intensity of the playoffs, mental fatigue, and insecurity. The players were probably subconsciously trying to not miss the shots and as a result, overcompensating and missing. More shots miss snowballed into more and more shots missed and had they adjusted to shoot more comfortable shots, despite being inefficient, just to regain their rhythms, they wouldve had a chance to become chance to win it all. But alas, a team needs both efficiency and adaptability to win in the playoffs.
It's also a product of a blatantly rigged series. Everyone saw them not calling the fouls on Hardens 3pt shots and only calling it when he made multiple 3s to wave off his points when it should have been multiple 4pt plays turned into 0 plus the "missed" fouls which amounts to 12 fta or more. Then they were letting GS get away with the most obvious moving screens of all time and letting draymond poke Hardens eyes out on multiple attempts because Harden dunked on him. Dude was more impressive in 2018 then pretty much every recent ring.
He has always been a great mid range shooter, just didn't shoot from there because it was less efficient in the MoreyBall, Dantoni style. Now its more necessary for his game.
Honestly his all around game is still amazing
This was a great video 👍🏾👍🏾
Glad you enjoyed!
great video, one note, his subtle off ball game this year is, in my opinion, a much better pairing for a guy like embiid as opposed to off ball guys who are track stars like seth curry and jj reddick. not that they dont both compliment embiid, but that harden being the more subtle option and not running his man into the post guy, helps keep the flow of the offense cleaner for embiid, its easier for him to see where the double is coming if the perimiter guys are more static or only one guy is cutting.
Great video bro
Appreciate it!
My favorite player him and Hakeem 🚀
Dunno how much content you have lined up, but I'd love to see the breakdowns of your picks for the regular season awards
I was thinking about doing something along those lines, not sure how to go about it though.
That mid range had saved his scoring output. He got smart and learned from his playoff failures
Great content
Appreciate it!
You should do harden breakdown defense
Arguably the 2nd best guard in the East behind Dmitch, hoping his playoffs woes are solved by not being a team's entire offensive engine and therefore not being able to be targeted to the extreme degree he was in Houston.
Behind Jaylen Brown you mean
@@Trouble_90210 He's why I said arguably
Donovan Mitchell is better than Harden? Wow 😳
@@georgedevine4130 Yeah, where you been this season?
Can lead the league in ppg and apg whichever is needed
8:46 i don’t believe harden would’ve been able to be that relaxed if lebron was actually stunting or attempting to make something happen on D he was dead just standing there
Jaylen Brown your next video Hoop Venue 🙏🙏🙏
man didnt make the all star game??? that anti sixers bias is rediculous
All-time robbery!
Maybe if he gets slimmer he might just get that lift back
But people on social media told me he can't play anymore?
my original goat❤❤❤
Harden scale 1-10
Better offensive player Kyrie or harden? And why
Harden, slightly worse scorer, but comfortable better playmaker and passer. Better offensive floor raiser too
For sure Harden. Better playmaker and can score if needed
Harden without question, better scorer and playmaker P4P and actually was able to function as a 1st option on a contending team
Does hardhead have a ring? 😂
Clearly this is a casuals type of question that I regret responding to. My bad.
I LIKE HILADELPHIA 76ERS
Better defender jrue or smart & why?
If I need a 1 on 1 guy to shut down an opposing creator, it's Jrue no doubt, and he's probably the best point of attack defender due to the fact that screens just don't exist with him there.
Overall though, I think Smart has the very clear edge as a team defender, offering much better help, some nice rim protection, while still being a super flexible man defender in various different spots. I'd say Smart, but it's definitely a discussion worth having.
Devin booker or James harden
P Diddy, Car Skidi Lamar
is this a reupload?
Mj kobe wade harden pg my all time sg
harden need to lose some weight and he’ll get his first step
he’s the BEST player of all time just not the greatest
Why do y'all love pulling out these random ass "record" stats. 21 ppg 62% TS and 10.5 APG. Those are some of the most random baselines just to compare Harden alone to Magic.