James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather have?

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James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather have?

James Harden
17
28%
Carmelo Anthony
43
72%
 
Total votes: 60

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James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather have? 

Post#1 » by JordansBulls » Tue Nov 27, 2012 5:42 pm

James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather have?
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Re: James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather ha 

Post#2 » by ahonui06 » Tue Nov 27, 2012 6:31 pm

Pretty easily Carmelo.

Melo has proven that he can at least take his teams to the playoffs as the man. He's never missed the postseason since entering the NBA.

Harden isn't proven as a #1 option for an NBA team.

This discussion might be different in a few years when we have more evidence for Harden, but for now you can only go with Melo.
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Re: James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather ha 

Post#3 » by OptimusOne6 » Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:07 pm

If I wanted to win right now for this season, I would go with Carmelo Anthony. He is more proven and simply a better player than Harden at this point.

If I'm looking into the future though, I would probably roll with Harden since he has more potential, youth, etc.

I don't think either one will be able to lead a team as the best player on a championship team but at least Harden has some potential left while Melo is a finished product.
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Re: James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather ha 

Post#4 » by CBA » Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:35 pm

Harden. Better on offense, at least equal on defense, and younger.
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Re: James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather ha 

Post#5 » by JustCame » Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:42 pm

I'm a Knicks fan, but I'd rather have Harden.

He's 23 and only getting better. I don't think either of them are no. 1 options on championship teams, but I think Harden is a better, more cohesive no. 2.
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Re: James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather ha 

Post#6 » by ahonui06 » Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:48 pm

CBA wrote:Harden. Better on offense, at least equal on defense, and younger.


Is Harden really better on offense?

Harden '12-'13: 25-4-5 on 44-32-84 with 59 TS% and 49 eFG%
Melo '12-'13: 26-7-2 on 47-43-79 with 57 TS% and 52 eFG%

Melo is shooting better as the #1 option, although Harden does have the TS% advantage due to the fact he makes more FTs. Harden has more facilitating skills than Melo, but some of that is also due to the fact that Houston doesn't have a true PG whereas the Knicks have Felton and Kidd on their roster.

Defensively, they are both subpar so no argument there.

And yes, Harden is 5 years younger which would be something to consider when building a franchise.

Most importantly, the Knicks are 3rd in the East at 9-4 while the Rockets are 10th in the West at 6-7.
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Re: James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather ha 

Post#7 » by smith2373 » Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:54 pm

This has been an ongoing argument I've been having with my friends since Harden got traded to the Rockets.

I'd take Melo pretty easily.

I believe that Harden is overhyped and overrated, I know some say the same about Melo but it is what it is.
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Re: James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather ha 

Post#8 » by giordunk » Tue Nov 27, 2012 8:31 pm

It's Melo. I'd say about 70-80% of Melo's shot selection this year are all good shots, vs. the previous season where he had to create and force a lot of shots for himself. Harden also suffers from what Carmelo does and both players tend to hero-ball a little, but Melo is an overall better player.
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Re: James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather ha 

Post#9 » by tsherkin » Tue Nov 27, 2012 8:46 pm

I think nothing of value can be garnered over the current sample and that this comparison is a non-starter.

Stylistically speaking, Harden does more for his teammates in a general sense because he's a more effective on-ball guy on the perimeter. But Melo's having a great year and looking like he's fitting in really well with the talent around him in New York at the moment, proving that if you build correctly around him, he's capable of some pretty impressive things.

We won't wait, but the best time to begin this comparison would be after both of their seasons are over (e.g. end of the season/end of their playoff run). And even then, opportunity and teammates will have dictated a lot of that.

Tough call.
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Re: James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather ha 

Post#10 » by Dr Positivity » Tue Nov 27, 2012 8:51 pm

Harden due to a better all around game of scoring and passing and presumed upside if we're extending it past this year (I believe Harden's upside is league MVP and a level above where Melo will ever get to)
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Re: James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather ha 

Post#11 » by ReturnofFlash » Tue Nov 27, 2012 9:42 pm

CBA wrote:Harden. Better on offense, at least equal on defense, and younger.


Please tell me how Harden is better on offense than the best scorer in the league?
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Re: James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather ha 

Post#12 » by OptimusOne6 » Tue Nov 27, 2012 9:43 pm

Miami4Life wrote:
CBA wrote:Harden. Better on offense, at least equal on defense, and younger.


Please tell me how Harden is better on offense than the best scorer in the league?

The best scorer in the league is Kevin Durant and the 2nd best would be Lebron James. After that, it is between Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant, but James Harden is certainly not a better scorer than Carmelo Anthony.
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Re: James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather ha 

Post#13 » by tsherkin » Tue Nov 27, 2012 10:04 pm

Miami4Life wrote:Please tell me how Harden is better on offense than the best scorer in the league?


In no way, shape or form is Melo the best scorer in the league. On his best day, he'd be #3.
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Re: James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather ha 

Post#14 » by ReturnofFlash » Tue Nov 27, 2012 10:04 pm

OptimusOne6 wrote:
Miami4Life wrote:
CBA wrote:Harden. Better on offense, at least equal on defense, and younger.


Please tell me how Harden is better on offense than the best scorer in the league?

The best scorer in the league is Kevin Durant and the 2nd best would be Lebron James. After that, it is between Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant, but James Harden is certainly not a better scorer than Carmelo Anthony.


Well, I guess it's your opinion. I like how Melo scores other than just jumpshots, and is really skilled.
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Re: James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather ha 

Post#15 » by tsherkin » Tue Nov 27, 2012 10:14 pm

Miami4Life wrote:Well, I guess it's your opinion. I like how Melo scores other than just jumpshots, and is really skilled.


No, that's not opinion, that's fact.

Melo has a very aesthetically pleasing game and is one of the best scorers in the league, but there's nothing to suggest he's the best in the league at it, at all.
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Re: James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather ha 

Post#16 » by OptimusOne6 » Tue Nov 27, 2012 10:41 pm

Miami4Life wrote:Well, I guess it's your opinion. I like how Melo scores other than just jumpshots, and is really skilled.

Both Durant and Lebron score other than jump shots too. Melo has a ton of moves in his scoring arsenal but it doesn't make him any more effective of a scorer.

It shouldn't matter how the scoring looks, it should matter how much you score and how efficient you are and Melo is behind both KD and LBJ by a decent margin when it comes to that.
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Re: James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather ha 

Post#17 » by CBA » Wed Nov 28, 2012 5:02 pm

Miami4Life wrote:
CBA wrote:Harden. Better on offense, at least equal on defense, and younger.


Please tell me how Harden is better on offense than the best scorer in the league?


1) Offense is more than volume scoring.

2) Melo isn't the best scorer in the league.

Harden has been the more efficient scorer (at similar volume, actually) and has shown to be a better playmaker, thus he's better on offense.
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Re: James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather ha 

Post#18 » by Kobe Bean » Wed Nov 28, 2012 7:25 pm

tsherkin wrote:
Miami4Life wrote:Well, I guess it's your opinion. I like how Melo scores other than just jumpshots, and is really skilled.


No, that's not opinion, that's fact.

Melo has a very aesthetically pleasing game and is one of the best scorers in the league, but there's nothing to suggest he's the best in the league at it, at all.


By ability and skillset, he is a close second to Kobe
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Re: James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather ha 

Post#19 » by JordansBulls » Sat Dec 15, 2012 11:09 pm

Miami4Life wrote:
CBA wrote:Harden. Better on offense, at least equal on defense, and younger.


Please tell me how Harden is better on offense than the best scorer in the league?

Offense is more than scoring. Melo is a better scorer no doubt, but Harden adds assists to the team. So essentially you combine his effiency, scoring and assists together and that shows how much he helps out offensively.
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Re: James Harden vs Carmelo Anthony, who would you rather ha 

Post#20 » by tsherkin » Sat Dec 15, 2012 11:14 pm

Kobe Bean wrote:By ability and skillset, he is a close second to Kobe


No he isn't. Right now, on his unsustainable, outlier 3pt shooting streak, he's the third-best scorer in the league. When that regresses, and it will (though not to terribly low levels), he will go back to being what he was: a really good scorer behind Durant and Lebron (Kobe will also regress over the course of the season).

I don't understand the fetishism over diversity here; even this season, Melo's barely posting more points per game than Lebron without any comparable second-option scorers on his team and isn't doing it as efficiently. Just because you can try to score in a broader variety of ways doesn't make you better, it makes you slightly more foolish for not specializing and exploiting the gifts which you DO possess. Melo's shot selection is pretty rough, and that's a flaw, it's a big part of why he's consistently less efficient than Lebron.

More particularly, there isn't even huge separation between Melo and Lebron in terms of mid-range efficacy or overall shooting. Literally nothing suggests that Melo is the superior scorer. He can be, at times, more fun to watch and he's having a fantastic season right now; he surely uses a wider range of moves but none of that makes him a better scorer or offensive player than Lebron. Nor does it make Kobe better than Lebron. They have more "polish," but it doesn't translate to superior results, so it doesn't actually mean anything.

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