James Harden is a superstar

[eten]

Yeah I would hardly expect 67.7% TS% to hold up. It would be unprecedented for a perimeter player at his volume of scoring.

Reggie did 24.6 ppg on 64.5 TS% and 22.6 ppg on 65 TS% over 82 game span. Not quite 67.7, but very impressive for a jump shooter.

[Chessboxer]

I wouldnt call him a superstar, but hes definately allstar (calibre). Hes the second best player on the Thunder in my opinion, definatly better than Westbrook thats for sure.

[tsherkin]

Reggie did 24.6 ppg on 64.5 TS% and 22.6 ppg on 65 TS% over 82 game span. Not quite 67.7, but very impressive for a jump shooter.

That something has been previously achieved does not actually make it any more likely to be repeated.

[Ojmayo]

He would look like a superstar in Minnesota.

[ChiCitySPORTS#1]

Just came here to say; I agree that Harden tends to play better when both KD and Westbrook are out of the game. He's at his best running the pick n roll.


Numbers might not back that up, but this is coming from a guy who has never missed a Harden game in his NBA career. Just the eye test thing.

You know nothing about thunder basketball

[fallacy]

Just came here to say; I agree that Harden tends to play better when both KD and Westbrook are out of the game. He's at his best running the pick n roll.


Numbers might not back that up, but this is coming from a guy who has never missed a Harden game in his NBA career. Just the eye test thing.

You know nothing about thunder basketball

What did I say that was wrong?

[Rapcity_11]

Reggie did 24.6 ppg on 64.5 TS% and 22.6 ppg on 65 TS% over 82 game span. Not quite 67.7, but very impressive for a jump shooter.

That something has been previously achieved does not actually make it any more likely to be repeated.

Really?

[tsherkin]

Really?

I'm just saying, simply because Reggie did it does not make Harden specifically any more likely of doing it. It's possible, but the example raised was also one of very different context, right? Reggie was a guy who took most of his shots around screens, it's not the same as handling the ball and creating your own shot and so forth.

Granted, Harden's volume is way lower and that helps, but yeah, it was kind of a bunk way to defend the notion that Harden can maintain what he's doing, which he can't. Not fully, anyhow, he's clearly on pace for a really good season regardless.

[Rapcity_11]

Really?

I'm just saying, simply because Reggie did it does not make Harden specifically any more likely of doing it. It's possible, but the example raised was also one of very different context, right? Reggie was a guy who took most of his shots around screens, it's not the same as handling the ball and creating your own shot and so forth.

Granted, Harden's volume is way lower and that helps, but yeah, it was kind of a bunk way to defend the notion that Harden can maintain what he's doing, which he can't. Not fully, anyhow, he's clearly on pace for a really good season regardless.

I don't disagree with anything you just wrote. Just that I think that somebody having achieved something in the past does make in generally more likely to be achieved in the future by somebody else.

[tsherkin]

I don't disagree with anything you just wrote. Just that I think that somebody having achieved something in the past does make in generally more likely to be achieved in the future by somebody else.

I suppose if you look at it as the notion that someone has realized that it's possible and that perpetuates the attempt to do so, but that's more related to people approaching things the same way. I left my comment too general, but like I said in my follow-up, the contexts are too different for what Reggie did to have any bearing on what Harden is doing.

[wiff]

Reggie did 24.6 ppg on 64.5 TS% and 22.6 ppg on 65 TS% over 82 game span. Not quite 67.7, but very impressive for a jump shooter.

That something has been previously achieved does not actually make it any more likely to be repeated.

Explain the 4 minute mile barrier then please.

[old rem]

You're absolutely right.

They need to trade that chucker KD and let Harden take over.

Excellent defender............yet OKC starts Sefalosha for D. How curious.

Superstar......but a SHOOTING G who averaged 12 ppg and only topped 25 pt...once. I guess that makes Anthony Morrow a legend.

It's absurd to even claim Harden is already a STAR. Then....to say a Superstar????

The guy had a few games. Fine. Even so....17 ppg ain't SUPER...or Stephen Jackson needs to get more credit....as do several other players.

[Krodis]

old rem and his raw PPG fetish again.

Let me guess, Monta Ellis is a superstar and Manu Ginobili is just some roleplayer?

[fallacy]

Harden isn't a superstar, that's pretty unanimous.


Holy crap REM, you do know that there is much more than PPG?

[Krodis]

I have a question with regards to his three point shot distribution. Are the shots he gets off handoffs with Nick Collison where Collison hands it off and sets a screen in their two man game considered spot ups?

[bastillon]

tsherkin have you seen Harden recently ? basically he catches the ball and there's an extreme likelyhood of him scoring. Harden-Collison pick and roll is one of the most efficient plays in basketball, its effectiveness is comparable to Nash-Amare and Terry-Dirk two man game right now. seriously, I haven't seen similarly unstoppable play for a long time. Harden is scoring 17 ppg in 30 mins on 66% TS and the only thing that's stopping him from getting ~25/game is halfcourt touches and mins. 133 ORtg! - that's just INSANE for a guy who often plays with the ball as team's first option.

[tsherkin]

tsherkin have you seen Harden recently ? basically he catches the ball and there's an extreme likelyhood of him scoring.

I've noticed him playing very well, yes. I think you're heaping praise in a volume that is slightly excessive and somewhat premature, but he's certainly been awesome for OKC thus far.

[fallacy]

Since this thread is back on the front page, I guess I'll throw in a random stat I found out recently

James Harden is leading the NBA (those who qualify; at the time I looked it up) at finishing at the rim with an insane 81%

[kobe_vs_jordan]

Harden has superstar potential but till he puts up superstar numbers he's just a very good player. Still very early on in the season. There are a few guys every season that start the season off great. Him being a great defender is a big stretch. Last year opposing SG has an effective field goal percentage of 50% against him. Pretty much on par with kevin martin. He's a good defender at best.

[Zeitgeister]

So many people were willing to dismiss Harden, just look at Old Rem scoffing at the fact that Harden isn't a starter. Just silly.

Harden displayed very advanced ability even as a freshman and moreso as a sophmore in college. I was sad when Minnesota didn't get a chance to draft him. What I'm hoping, is that Minnesota clears some cap space and offers Harden a crap ton of money and Oklahoma doesn't have the cap space to hold on to him. A Rubio/Love/Harden pairing would be ridiculous.

I'm not sure if Harden will be a superstar as I am very hesitant to hand out titles like that, but he will be a star player. He can be a Brandon Roy type if not a bit better.