James Harden is a superstar

MisterWestside · Post #801 » by **MisterWestside** » Wed Nov 28, 2012 10:22 pm

tsherkin wrote:Kevin Martin is presently shooting 94.2% FT on 4.6 FTA/g.

That probably won't last, nor will his 49.3% 3P on 4.9 3PA/g.

Their offensive efficiency is a bit of a mirage. They're really good, for sure, but certainly that +7 is going to fade as some of the more outlandish numbers that they're posting at the moment come down.

Well even if it didn't, I wouldn't hold that against Harden at all. fallacy stated it perfectly.

Post #802 » by **tsherkin** » Wed Nov 28, 2012 10:25 pm

MisterWestside wrote:Well even if it didn't, I wouldn't hold that against Harden at all. fallacy stated it perfectly.

Sure, but factor the unsustainable levels of efficiency into the equation and basically there's not likely to be much difference at all. This speaks to Martin being better suited to a bench role and given the difference in their respective levels of play as a more primary option (at least to date), Harden's superior suitability to a starting role. Short sample for Harden and epic shooting streak for Martin, so it's not conclusive, but it's something to think about.

CKRT · Post #803 » by **CKRT** » Thu Nov 29, 2012 1:35 am

Houston looks awful without Parsons being able to be that third ball handler.

CKRT · Post #804 » by **CKRT** » Thu Nov 29, 2012 1:35 am

also Collison is so awesome.

Krodis · Post #805 » by **Krodis** » Thu Nov 29, 2012 3:22 am

I feel like with Parsons and out and Harden struggling, Lin has to do... something. Anything, really. Daequan Cook got the memo, but Lin still only takes 7 shots.

Also Toney Douglas is totally clueless on the basketball court.

Post #806 » by **tsherkin** » Thu Nov 29, 2012 1:24 pm

I hate the way Lin dribbles the basketball.

Krodis · Post #807 » by **Krodis** » Thu Nov 29, 2012 3:55 pm

Harden's shot chart for the OKC game is funny. I don't think he's ever missed that many shots near the rim. I couldn't watch the game so I don't know how much of that is the defense or how much he just messed up.

fallacy · Post #808 » by **fallacy** » Thu Nov 29, 2012 4:04 pm

Krodis wrote:Harden's shot chart for the OKC game is funny. I don't think he's ever missed that many shots near the rim. I couldn't watch the game so I don't know how much of that is the defense or how much he just messed up.

90% OKC defense. Almost all those missed shots were blocked or affected

Post #809 » by **slick_watts** » Thu Nov 29, 2012 4:06 pm

As you'd expect, OKC had Harden's timing down pat in this game. Ibaka timed out his Euro Step a couple times perfectly and swatted layups, Durant did it once too. Westbrook blocked a short jump shot in the paint. OKC trapped Harden on every PnR. He really had nowhere to go. I think he got six shots blocked in the game.

I mean, swap someone like Westbrook for Harden and how does he fare in those conditions with those teammates? Probably about the same I'd guess.

richboy · Post #810 » by **richboy** » Fri Nov 30, 2012 8:15 am

OKC pretty much showed the rest of the league how to defend Harden. They were waiting for him at the spots he likes to go. Trapped him and took away his PNR. I'll be interested to see how other teams take what OKC did.

Krodis · Post #811 » by **Krodis** » Fri Nov 30, 2012 2:31 pm

I think that's easier said than done, especially if the Rockets have Chandler Parsons on the floor to take some pressure off him.

JordansBulls · Post #812 » by **JordansBulls** » Sat Dec 1, 2012 4:34 am

Krodis wrote:I think that's easier said than done, especially if the Rockets have Chandler Parsons on the floor to take some pressure off him.

The rockets need another scorer on the team to go with Harden.

CKRT · Post #813 » by **CKRT** » Sat Dec 1, 2012 5:12 am

I think in general they need more offensive help. Not just one scorer.

JordansBulls · Post #814 » by **JordansBulls** » Sat Dec 1, 2012 11:01 pm

CKRT wrote:I think in general they need more offensive help. Not just one scorer.

Chandler Parsons and Patterson have been stepping up but I do agree with you. I think they depended on Lin to provide that scoring along with Harden.

lilojmayo · Post #815 » by **lilojmayo** » Sun Dec 2, 2012 9:50 pm

Harden is doing really well as #1 option, better than I expected. With that being said

OKC made the right decision in Ibaka over Harden. easily watching OKC now. If they could have kept both they would, but picking one or the other fo that team it is easily Ibaka. Ibaka the things he does defensively is unmatched by any player in the NBA outside of Dwight and LeBron. Not to mention his midrange shot is just money, and shoots 80% FT as a big..

and as people expected Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant just turned their games up a couple notches to make up for Harden's production. Seeing Kevin Durant bringing the ball up playing point-forward gives me chills and nostaglic memories of watching Orlando Tracy McGrady growing up.

Doormatt · Post #816 » by **Doormatt** » Mon Dec 3, 2012 12:01 am

i find ibaka's defense to be incredibly overrated honestly. hes solid, but he misses a lot of rotations and his style of "block every shot" isnt always the most effective.

if i was okc i wouldve gone with harden easily, but alas i am not.

fallacy · Post #817 » by **fallacy** » Mon Dec 3, 2012 12:06 am

Doormatt wrote:i find ibaka's defense to be incredibly overrated honestly. hes solid, but he misses a lot of rotations and his style of "block every shot" isnt always the most effective.

if i was okc i wouldve gone with harden easily, but alas i am not.

also westbrook has really not stepped up his production at all. hes started the season pretty poorly tbh.

OKC last year:

109.8 Offensive rating, 103.2 defensive rating, 6.44 SRS, +6.1 point differential

OKC this year:

112.5 offensive rating, 102.0 defensive rating, 9.33 SRS, +9.8 point differential (insane)

Now sample size and sustainability and all that. But at this point OKC is better at nearly everything compared to last year. If there was an option to only keep one of Ibaka/Harden, right now it looks like Ibaka was the right choice. Could change though.

Doormatt · Post #818 » by **Doormatt** » Mon Dec 3, 2012 12:12 am

well i mean its impossible to know which decision would be right at this point because the numbers you posted arent just straight up taking out harden , its replacing harden with martin who is starting the season absolutely on fire.

so no i cant agree that ibaka was the right choice based on those numbers because its not okc without harden vs okc with ibaka, its okc without harden vs okc with ibaka/kmart.

fallacy · Post #819 » by **fallacy** » Mon Dec 3, 2012 12:14 am

Doormatt wrote:well i mean its impossible to know which decision would be right at this point because the numbers you posted arent just straight up taking out harden , its replacing harden with martin who is starting the season absolutely on fire.

so no i cant agree that ibaka was the right choice based on those numbers because its not okc without harden vs okc with ibaka, its okc without harden vs okc with ibaka/kmart.

Which makes it even more for keeping Ibaka. Harden got OKC much more in a trade than Ibaka would have, which allowed OKC to make it's team better.

Doormatt · Post #820 » by **Doormatt** » Mon Dec 3, 2012 12:25 am

again, impossible to know which players okc couldve gotten in return for ibaka and how theyd fit in. all hypothetical really. i can only imagine that okc with a legit star like harden would be better going forward. but im sure okc is happy with how well kmart is playing anyway.