The Official James Harden Thread

[Krodis]

Harden was dead tired. Didn't help that he turned his ankle. Like others said he missed 5 or 6 point blank layup.

For the record, he missed those point blank layups BEFORE he turned his ankle. Harden was gassed but I do think that's a problem and it's not something you can just shrug off. Harden probably didn't condition himself for these type of minutes.

I don't think many people condition themselves for the kind of minutes Harden has played over the last 3 games, but certainly he could use some extra stamina.

[Vindicater]

Harden was dead tired. Didn't help that he turned his ankle. Like others said he missed 5 or 6 point blank layup.

So was this an anomaly or maybe Harden is tiring quickly because he is not used to the workload.

Will be interesting to see his stats after 20 games. Until then it is really too early to tell.

I still feel his early season explosion comes more from the fact the season started almost right after he was traded and that that drove him to be more focused and want to "prove" to people OKC made a bad choice. That is hard motivation to keep up over 82+games.

[Guy986]

Harden was dead tired. Didn't help that he turned his ankle. Like others said he missed 5 or 6 point blank layup.

For the record, he missed those point blank layups BEFORE he turned his ankle. Harden was gassed but I do think that's a problem and it's not something you can just shrug off. Harden probably didn't condition himself for these type of minutes.

He's playing 40+ mins on a b2b both games. He's not accustomed to seeing those mins. Nobody is.

[Bskey]

He still got layup attempts, so unless Portland has magic powers to influence the wind, I'm not sure this has all that much to do with it. If he makes 4 of the layups he missed, he ends up 12-22 for 32 points and they win in regulation.

I hate comments like this. If the Blazers made 1 of their open shots they missed they win in regulation!

[UGA Hayes]

We will find out, although in fairness everyone on Houston was grabbing their shorts in the fourth quarter

[Krodis]

He still got layup attempts, so unless Portland has magic powers to influence the wind, I'm not sure this has all that much to do with it. If he makes 4 of the layups he missed, he ends up 12-22 for 32 points and they win in regulation.

I hate comments like this. If the Blazers made 1 of their open shots they missed they win in regulation!

No, that's fair. I don't like those sorts of hypotheticals either. I'm just saying that Harden's poor stats is more of a result of missed layups (likely because of fatigue) rather than Portland's defense doing that great of a job of shutting him down.

[Durant Durant]

Rockets need a scoring 6th man.

[Lightning25]

Harden was dead tired. Didn't help that he turned his ankle. Like others said he missed 5 or 6 point blank layup.

For the record, he missed those point blank layups BEFORE he turned his ankle. Harden was gassed but I do think that's a problem and it's not something you can just shrug off. Harden probably didn't condition himself for these type of minutes.

He's playing 40+ mins on a b2b both games. He's not accustomed to seeing those mins. Nobody is.

Superstar players like Durant, Lebron, CP3, etc. are. Harden is not a superstar like most of RealGM insinuates nor is he a future one.

[Krodis]

Chris Paul plays like 36 minutes a game >.>

[Guy986]

Stars like CP3 and Durant play 40+ minute on B2B on a consistent basis? Thats news to me.

[Krodis]

Even the few players that do play 40 MPG (and there aren't many), most of them at least get conserved a little on a B2B, and especially on a 3 games in 4 night situation. All except the freakishly conditioned is going to be tired playing 40 minutes 3 times in 4 nights, the third of which is on a B2B.

[fallacy]

Stars like CP3 and Durant play 40+ minute on B2B on a consistent basis? Thats news to me.

Durant played 41 minutes Thursday, then played 43 minutes on Friday in a b2b.

He's averaging 23 points, 16 rebounds, and 6 assists on 50% shooting

[inquisitive]

It will be an ongoing adjustment for Harden with his stamina being a starter now especially with the uptempo style that McHale is running now...give it time, he will be fine. He will also learn how to create for his teammates at times which saves some energy. This is all new to him.

[CB-Blazer]

We will find out, although in fairness everyone on Houston was grabbing their shorts in the fourth quarter

Houston wasn't the only team coming off of a B2B, All of Portlands starters put in full minutes in a tough loss to OKC last night.

Aldridge missed a bunch of open jumpers he normally makes and Wes Matthews, one of the better 3 point shooters in the leauge shot 2-7 from behind the arch.

Everyone has bad games, not just James Harden (although, I'd have a hard time calling his game a "bad" one").

Stop making excuses (because everyone can) and just live with the results.

[CB-Blazer]

It will be an ongoing adjustment for Harden with his stamina being a starter now especially with the uptempo style that McHale is running now...give it time, he will be fine. He will also learn how to create for his teammates at times which saves some energy. This is all new to him.

Your acting like he is just picking up the damn basketball, Hardens job was to create for his teammates, he doesn't need to learn any new traits. He played over 31 minutes a game, it's not like he was coming from 15-20 minutes a game.

[NCHeels2008]

We will find out, although in fairness everyone on Houston was grabbing their shorts in the fourth quarter

Houston wasn't the only team coming off of a B2B, All of Portlands starters put in full minutes in a tough loss to OKC last night.

Aldridge missed a bunch of open jumpers he normally makes and Wes Matthews, one of the better 3 point shooters in the leauge shot 2-7 from behind the arch.

Everyone has bad games, not just James Harden (although, I'd have a hard time calling his game a "bad" one").

Stop making excuses (because everyone can) and just live with the results.

you're right, Blazers GOAT this year, hate that I missed the memo

[Lightning25]

Chris Paul plays like 36 minutes a game >.>

Sure, but if his team lacked a backup, is a close/OT game, he would probably play 40+ minutes and he would play it just fine.

[CB-Blazer]

We will find out, although in fairness everyone on Houston was grabbing their shorts in the fourth quarter

Houston wasn't the only team coming off of a B2B, All of Portlands starters put in full minutes in a tough loss to OKC last night.

Aldridge missed a bunch of open jumpers he normally makes and Wes Matthews, one of the better 3 point shooters in the leauge shot 2-7 from behind the arch.

Everyone has bad games, not just James Harden (although, I'd have a hard time calling his game a "bad" one").

Stop making excuses (because everyone can) and just live with the results.

you're right, Blazers GOAT this year, hate that I missed the memo

Well, you sure got the "when you have no intelligent, logical rebuttal engage in hyperbole" memo.

[East_Coast]

McHale is going to have to open up his rotation a bit. Needed some fresh legs, especially on offense. Harden looked gassed by the third quarter.

The Blazers played some tough perimeter defense down the stretch, and slowed down his trips into the lane, something he's going to get a regular diet of.

That skip pass that Harden goes to after being doubled at the top of the key is gonna eventually start getting picked off. Still, he tried, but dialing up his inner Kobe wasn't the best idea when playing tired.

Somebody else is going to have to step up offensively. Why not give Daequan Cook a look? Dude is money from downtown.

[Rerisen]

What has potential to be a drag on Harden's final numbers, is on nights he is having trouble getting going, I don't think Houston has any other option than for him to keep shooting. Such as where he ends up with 25 shots like tonight, even while not being super efficient. In OKC, he could really minimize bad games by just ceding the ball to KD and Russell.