On another note, James Harden...

Z

Zezzo!

Well-known member
All the talking heads are asking, "What happened to James Harden....", well I believe Mike D'Antoni played a huge part in destroying Harden's game. Although Harden flourished in D'Antoni's system, he spoiled Harden by allowing him to dribble multiple times before shooting or less often a pass or just shooting at will while everyone else stood around and watched or panicked and shot at the last second. This went on during the whole D'Antoni era in Houston (4 years). That style of play worked during the season but failed epically at playoff time and it also stunted Harden's development in becoming even a better player. I firmly believe this is why Harden has/is struggled(ing) everywhere he's been since he left D'Antoni. He's to the point where he cannot adjust his game, he's is used to shooting, drawing fake fouls, and having the ball 90% of the time and it's turned him into a selfish, hard to coach and difficult to play with teammate that pouts, whines and doesn't work hard when he can't have his way.

Thanks Mike
 
 
He's had two coaches since then and he still plays the same way? I'm not saying it's right, but blaming D'Antoini isn't right. Steve Nash and Doc Rivers are the coaches of the teams Harden has played on since, Harden isn't guaranteed to play that same style.
 
Tom brought up the additional point I was going to mention as well. While I think Z makes a lot of good points, I would probably attribute a good bit of it to age. He’ll be 33 in August. LeBron and his high level of play into his late 30s seems too have changed a lot of peoples perceptions on how long superstars should be able to maintain elite level of play.
 
0 for 2 in the second half of a game that eliminated them' Stephen A. Smith holds nothing back:

 
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clarkgriswold said:
Age plus the fact that he appears to do very little to stay in shape. Strip club meals generally are not healthy.

He'll be great in the 3 on 3 league in 3 or 4 years when he can just show up for games and play half court basketball.
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But he'll still lose because he plays no defense and isn't involved unless the ball is in his hands. Sixers took a shot - Simmons wasn't playing for them anyway, they tried Harden and he showed his true colors, once again. I can't imagine a guy who is so non-competitive at that level. He was not interested in playing at all last night.
 
14Red said:
But he'll still lose because he plays no defense and isn't involved unless the ball is in his hands. Sixers took a shot - Simmons wasn't playing for them anyway, they tried Harden and he showed his true colors, once again. I can't imagine a guy who is so non-competitive at that level. He was not interested in playing at all last night.
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You have obviously not watched the Big 3 games.
 
clarkgriswold said:
You have obviously not watched the Big 3 games.
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Big 3, NBA playoffs, doesn't matter. If one guy isn't willing to play any defense, you're not going to win. In 3 on 3, there is less help and more ability to iso a bad defender. James Harden isn't going to get better, he's declining and may actually decline faster than most.
 
14Red said:
Big 3, NBA playoffs, doesn't matter. If one guy isn't willing to play any defense, you're not going to win. In 3 on 3, there is less help and more ability to iso a bad defender. James Harden isn't going to get better, he's declining and may actually decline faster than most.
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Here's your clue- it's a bunch of 40+ guys NOT playing defense.
 
14Red said:
But he'll still lose because he plays no defense and isn't involved unless the ball is in his hands. Sixers took a shot - Simmons wasn't playing for them anyway, they tried Harden and he showed his true colors, once again. I can't imagine a guy who is so non-competitive at that level. He was not interested in playing at all last night.
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I have to agree that he did not seem to want to compete. Shameful effort. I think he is done, he's been in the league for what, 15 years? looks like a guy who is done.
 
clarkgriswold said:
Age plus the fact that he appears to do very little to stay in shape. Strip club meals generally are not healthy.

He'll be great in the 3 on 3 league in 3 or 4 years when he can just show up for games and play half court basketball.
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I used to think he might be able to play at a fairly high level for a few more years due to offensive skills and being able to manipulate the rules to his advantage with the ball, but I'm starting to think he's just going to rapidly go flying off the cliff due to the bolded. His increasing age makes it easier to get both more out of shape in the off-season with his habits, as well as more difficult to make up for it when he's showing up for training camp looking like a middle aged guy you'd see at the downtown YMCA.

Hope he enjoys the nearly $50 million he's going to get next year on the last year of his current deal, because it's going to be his last major payday.
 
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