James Harden is a superstar

Post #921 » by **tsherkin** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 10:47 pm

MisterWestside wrote:Understood; I just think if he wants to be given that label (on offense) he should improve that facet of his game. He's aleady elite at putting the ball in the basket.

Players can always improve, of course, but he needs to focus more on defense and a mid-range jumper than anything else, not so much on how he plays in the PnR. The rest of Houston needs to improve as well, that'd help his turnover rate a lot too.

Krodis · Post #922 » by **Krodis** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 2:56 am

Well, he would definitely be a superstar if he got to play the Knicks every game. They just are hopelessly unable to keep him away from the rim for whatever reason.

Krodis · Post #923 » by **Krodis** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 2:46 pm

At this point it's safe to say the league hasn't really "figured him out", superstar or no. Really good 6 game stretch, and he even has his turnovers under control the last three. Down below 4 a game, no longer leading the league, and his TOV% is right about at it was last year.

SunKing · Post #924 » by **SunKing** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 10:04 pm

Yeah since his nightmare games vs OKC and Lakers he's :

29.5pts on 17 shots (lol dude is born for that TS% stat), 49/35/92, 5rbs 5ast 2.5stls and his three last games he turned it over only 4 times.

LarsV8 · Post #925 » by **LarsV8** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 3:21 am

33 points tonight on 12 shots, 2 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 block, 2 TOs with a ridiculous +32.

If this guy isn't a superstar, I don't know who is.

Krodis · Post #926 » by **Krodis** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 3:23 am

Well, the conspiracy theory types who think people only get free throws if they're superstars must think Harden is one >.>

CKRT · Post #927 » by **CKRT** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 3:58 am

12 shots for 33 points. :shock:

CBA · Post #928 » by **CBA** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 5:24 am

His defense is still pretty bad, but if Melo and Love are considered superstars then there's no reason for Harden not to be. He's in that tier of player.

Dr Positivity · Post #929 » by **Dr Positivity** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 6:29 am

This guy is in the "makes dropping 25 look easy" club. I think he's a potential league MVP if the Rockets build an elite team in the next decade

DJ-Master · Post #930 » by **DJ-Master** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 7:19 am

Meh... he is just another ref made super-star like D-Whistle.
Gonna start calling him J-Whistle.

All he does is flop or shoot 3pters.
Without the refs bailing him out he'd be a fringe star at best let alone Super-Star.

Keshavarzi · Post #931 » by **Keshavarzi** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 8:13 am

DJ-Master wrote:Meh... he is just another ref made super-star like D-Whistle.
Gonna start calling him J-Whistle.

All he does is flop or shoot 3pters.
Without the refs bailing him out he'd be a fringe star at best let alone Super-Star.

All he does is flop or shoot 3 pointers :roll:

Do you even watch him play. He is elite at getting to the rim. There are plenty of plays where he doesn't get calls.

therealbig3 · Post #932 » by **therealbig3** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 8:21 am

Keshavarzi wrote:
DJ-Master wrote:Meh... he is just another ref made super-star like D-Whistle.
Gonna start calling him J-Whistle.

All he does is flop or shoot 3pters.
Without the refs bailing him out he'd be a fringe star at best let alone Super-Star.

All he does is flop or shoot 3 pointers

Do you even watch him play. He is elite at getting to the rim. There are plenty of plays where he doesn't get calls.

I MIGHT be wrong, but I think he's being sarcastic, since I seem to remember him being one of the biggest Wade supporters here.

Again, might be wrong though.

DJ-Master · Post #933 » by **DJ-Master** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 8:38 am

therealbig3 wrote:I think he's being sarcastic.

Yeah I was being sarcastic

I was making fun of Wade haters who say similar things when trying to tear him down.

I would like to see his efficiency from the field rise though and I think it will when he starts getting more consistent support and settles into a better and more stable team situation.

rockmanslim · Post #934 » by **rockmanslim** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 8:54 am

DJ-Master wrote:
therealbig3 wrote:I think he's being sarcastic.

Yeah I was being sarcastic

I was making fun of Wade haters who say similar things when trying to tear him down.

I would like to see his efficiency from the field rise though and I think it will when he starts getting more consistent support and settles into a better and more stable team situation.

Your sarcasm fails because Harden can actually shoot 3's

Krodis · Post #935 » by **Krodis** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 3:14 pm

Harden is up to 4th in the league in scoring at 25.4 per game, and his TS% is up to .591.

CBA · Post #936 » by **CBA** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 3:38 pm

oaklandwarriors wrote:Harden has the potential to be by far the worst contract in the league. It's like paying Monta Ellis 5/80. Outside of two games Harden has really been pedestrian so far and nothing worth max money.

fallacy wrote:This Rockets/Lakers game isn't over yet, but it looks like the league is learning how to defend Harden on the rockets

BmanInBigD wrote:Dude, if you're still claiming Harden is a superstar, well let's just say either you or I (along with just about every other sane person) have a serious misunderstanding of the word. Borderline star at best. And that's generous. Not the worst contract in the league, but probably closer to that than to the best contract.

Wall34 wrote:I've been lurking this place for a while and this thread still get's me going lol. Harden is incredible as a 2nd/3rd option i don't think he got enough touches last year on OKC so i don't blame him for going somewhere else but i never thought he was a potential superstar...It's crazy how last year a few people thought Harden was OKC's best player

ahonui06 wrote:It's pretty clear through a quarter of the season that Harden just isn't first option material. He needs a true first option in front of him to take away pressure from him offensively.

Thought I'd get this in before these guys come back after Harden's next poor game.

Wall34 · Post #937 » by **Wall34** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 4:03 pm

What's wrong with what i posted? I actually like Harden and i hope he is successful i still don't think he is a superstar tho just my opinion but if he keeps it up and Rockets keep winning then that would be impressive. It would really be cool if he could lead the Rockets into the playoffs if he could do then i am sure that will silence then Harden detractors....You could argue he is better then Westbrook tho i always preferred the way Harden played over Westbrook

Post #938 » by **tsherkin** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 4:07 pm

Well, Harden continues to prove that he can score, and do so efficiently at that. Houston is the 8th-ranked offense in the league, too. They really need to improve their defense and to change their backcourt dynamic. Lin/Harden was never going to be a good plan, they don't have good synergy, they only make sense from a marketing POV for the Rockets franchise, not an on-court product POV.

Still, he's playing well. It's really still quite early, but we've reached the first milestone and he's performing well through that point though.

Krodis · Post #939 » by **Krodis** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 7:44 pm

Harden had a great first half, then the Sixers started way over-playing him and he was basically a decoy for much of the third, which the Rockets finally made them pay for it late in the quarter, then he finished off well in the 4th.

Also, this:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GmZ7gWzDsc[/youtube]

E-Balla · Post #940 » by **E-Balla** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 7:48 pm

It's insane that he's still the least efficent of the top 5 scorers at 59TS and having a .55 FTR. But he's not a superstar (unless Blake Griffin and Westbrook are superstars).