bondom34 wrote:michaelm wrote:RightToCensor wrote:I've seen plenty of overreactions in this thread after single games, this will blow over soon.
I just want to repeat that Harden leads the league in APG, leads the league in points created, and is second in PPG. We don't have the 3rd best record in the league without him, we're not in the playoffs without him. The player keeping the Rockets in playoff position for the past five seasons is James Harden.
I would personally even argue that their pattern of play which is based on Harden is more team oriented that that of the Thunder, and hence holds together better when he is not on the court.
A pattern of play based on admittedly heroic individual efforts from Westbrook is completely bereft when he sits.
I'd argue there's 1 other ball handler on the entire roster and his backup has been bad at every level of pro basketball.
That may well be true, I don't watch either team enough to know.
Both teams were not rated before the season and both are doing much better than expected, but Harden's team to a greater extent, as I have previously said.
You are quite likely correct that the Thunder's Westbrook focused approach is of necessity, but I don't see that the rest of Harden's team, who were not I believe really rated any higher as a supporting cast than Westbrook's before the season, playing more cohesively/better, even when he sits, than the Thunder supporting cast is any argument against Harden. I am stunned that Harden has proved to be so effective playing basically as Houston's point guard, btw.
(EDIT As I was going to add anyway, perhaps it comes down to Harden's supporting cast being better coached, again hardly a knock on Harden. Like the following poster, I wonder what that coach could have done with all 3 of Westbrook, KD and Harden).