James Harden is a crushingly, amazing bball player (I cannot believe how wrong I was)

[gigantes]

So, I'm a skeptical person by nature. Just how I am.

That said-- HOH MY GOD, the Beard Is the Thing!

I'm so deliriously / idiotically happy about how this is working out (WE DEFEATED MUVVLEFLUFFIN GIANNIS)... that I might be growing my beard, en sympatico. Pictures at 11'o'clock...

[StepBackCrack]

Always been underrated. Dude should have easily won more than 1 MVP. Easily better than Giannis. Way more skilled.

[Whiskey Slick]

Always been underrated. Dude should have easily won more than 1 MVP. Easily better than Giannis. Way more skilled.

Can you imagine how many championships OKC would have won if they had simply kept Durant, Harden and Westbrook, and given them a chance to mature together? That could have been one of the great dynasties basketball history.

[Openheimer]

So, I'm a skeptical person by nature. Just how I am.

That said-- HOH MY GOD, the Beard Is the Thing!

I'm so deliriously / idiotically happy about how this is working out (WE DEFEATED MUVVLEFLUFFIN GIANNIS)... that I might be growing my beard, en sympatico. Pictures at 11'o'clock...

He is the best point guard and the best shooting guard in the league wrapped into one player.

[TheNetsFan]

I would argue that at this point, he's the best player on the team. Definitely the most durable of the big 3.

[MrDollarBills]

Harden is a beast. His unselfishness has been eye opening, but when he gets into scoring mode Holy crap. He cuts people apart out there

[Brooklyn91]

I would argue that at this point, he's the best player on the team. Definitely the most durable of the big 3.

I’m not sure about best player but he’s the most durable for sure. I still say KD is arguably the best player in the world.

[Whiskey Slick]

Harden is a beast. His unselfishness has been eye opening, but when he gets into scoring mode Holy crap. He cuts people apart out there

He reminds me of Patrick Mahomes in football.

I know it sounds like a weird comparison. Different sport. But I've always said Mahomes is like a magician with the football. Sometimes he makes these passes (which is just ball distribution) that look like optical illusions. You have to see them again in slow motion to really see what happened. I feel the same way about Harden. I knew he was a great scorer, but I had no idea he passes the ball like Pistol Pete.

[gigantes]

I would argue that at this point, he's the best player on the team. Definitely the most durable of the big 3.

His skillset is absolutely astonishing. It's like everywhere he goes, on both sides of the court, he has a significant advantage. Give him a few heartbeats, and that turns in to a major advantage, just like with Durant.

Also, pretty incredible to see him effectively defending big men in the post when needed. Maybe that's an argument to maintain his 'dadbod' that he picked up over the break, hehe.

Seriously though, the last time we had a guard that could do that was... Jason Kidd, a PG?

At 6'4" bball height, Kidd was shorter than Harden by an inch, but I remember that he was evidently the strongest player on the team by several measures, as reported by the Nets head trainer. That was back in the mid-Noughts, IIRC. I used to have a link to that interview on NBA.com, but it went dead at some point.

[MrDollarBills]

Harden is a beast. His unselfishness has been eye opening, but when he gets into scoring mode Holy crap. He cuts people apart out there

He reminds me of Patrick Mahomes in football.

I know it sounds like a weird comparison. Different sport. But I've always said Mahomes is like a magician with the football. Sometimes he makes these passes (which is just ball distribution) that look like optical illusions. You have to see them again in slow motion to really see what happened. I feel the same way about Harden. I knew he was a great scorer, but I had no idea he passes the ball like Pistol Pete.

I think it's a great comparison because there are times when I watch Mahomes play and the dude just pulls off some throws that are backbreakers to opposing defenses and you're left wondering how the hell did he see that guy

[Whiskey Slick]

I think it's a great comparison because there are times when I watch Mahomes play and the dude just pulls off some throws that are backbreakers to opposing defenses and you're left wondering how the hell did he see that guy

It's weird, MDB. It's like these guys have four sets of eyes; front, back, and both sides of their head. They see everything, even when they're apparently looking the other way. Then they throw these dimes that are dead on the money, in stride! Harden is one of those guys and admittedly I had no idea. I thought he was just a prolific scorer, but his passes are unreal. He makes average players look good.

[Suwanee]

As a long time Rox fan, I can tell you you have a treasure in your hands. For whatever reason, the national media has always had a negative tone when talking about the Beard. For casual fans that don't follow Rox that much, it's very easy to follow the narratives and don't think much of Harden. But now that Harden is in NY, media has turned 180 degrees. The only real knock on Harden is his playoff performance. But by no means is he a playoff choker. Just last year he averaged 29.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 7.7 assists in the playoffs. For any other player, it's god like stat line. Ironically people seem to have such higher standard for Harden, that they actually always underrate him, if that makes sense.

Now that he finally has two other elite talents on the same team, I wish he can finally win a ring or two. That'll put him in the all time greats list.

[HardenGoat]

I have followed the Beard ever since he got to the Rockets and watched him become my favorite player. He has always been disrespected by the media and the narratives surrounding him were not fair. He is not a selfish player, he has excellent court vision and wants to make players better around him. Players like Capela are a prime example. He has been held to a higher standard due to his usage rate but a lot of that was due to the system in Houston and he never seems to get a fully healthy roster on the way to the playoffs and certainly when he reached the 2018 conference finals against GSW. His desire to win often forced him to take over games and carry the Rockets up the seeding race when injury plagued his team. What you have inherited right now is the prime version of Harden. I mean that in respect to his team surroundings, the organization, where he has been, and his desire to win a championship. This is certainly the best team he has ever been on, he has chemistry with Durant, and when Kyrie returns you will see the best big 3 ever created.

[Suwanee]

I would argue that at this point, he's the best player on the team. Definitely the most durable of the big 3.

Yes, Harden is an iron man. That's actually the MOST underrated part of his game. Talent means little if you can't stay on the court.

[gigantes]

...Players like Capela are a prime example...

I remember watching a Rockets game a few years ago, and Harden was all over Capela, but in a good way.
The Beard was doing his damnest to motivate the big fella and reward him for playing more fiercely, I think. It was borderline aggressive (James was shouting in Clint's ear at some point, maybe even thumping his chest), but it made sense in context IMO.

I hadn't thought of that memory for years, but it does seem to fit. Indeed, I've typically thought of Harden as a very good player with a groaning-amount of gamesmanship. I'm starting to realise just how unselfish and just how much of... true leader? he actually is. I'm not quite sure why strong leadership is such a rare thing in sports (actually I have some theories), but when you do see it, it's such an admirable thing. (tall nod to David Robinson, hehe)

So yeah, we paid a huge price for him, and I'm still pretty devastated about the loss of Fro, but I'm starting to suspect that there's a hint of a suggestion, based on an idea of a notion, attached to a set of thoughts, that maybe, possibly there's a chance that the James Harden trade was absolutely worth it. Well... perhaps!

[FlipFlopShot]

I wouldn't say he is underrated. If you've followed him from the beginning, there's a reason why he contends for MVP. People dig him because of how he disappears during the playoffs every year since rookie.

And this is where Kyrie and KD comes in!

Champions: Kyrie and KD
6MOTY: Harden

Kyrie, KD and Harden >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Westbrook, KD and Harden

[Prokorov]

Still blows my mind people were resistant, or even deadset agains aquiring harden. When you can get a top 5 player... you do it. period. those guys are game changers.

People talk about "depth" but there is no better depth then having two top 10 players on the floor at all times once you stagger them.

Also, the odds of all 3 of them having an off not is essentially 0. as it is superstars typically are good to great 75% of the time.

cant wait for a game when all 3 drop 40

[gigantes]

Still blows my mind people were resistant, or even deadset agains aquiring harden. When you can get a top 5 player... you do it. period. those guys are game changers...

I realise all that, but it was never a bipolar situation as I see it. Not even close. Truly, there really were pros and cons to such a trade, and a steep, steep price for getting it done.

Proky-- for someone who's such an illuminating poster in general (IMO), you really are prone to ridiculously cheap arguments in order to advance your opinion.

Please miss me with that BS in future, as another poster here famously said.

[Prokorov]

Still blows my mind people were resistant, or even deadset agains aquiring harden. When you can get a top 5 player... you do it. period. those guys are game changers...

I realise all that, but it was never a bipolar situation as I see it. Not even close. Truly, there really were pros and cons to such a trade, and a steep, steep price for getting it done.

Proky-- for someone who's such an illuminating poster in general (IMO), you really are prone to ridiculously cheap arguments in order to advance your opinion.

Please miss me with that BS in future, as another poster here famously said.

There are no cons, and it wasnt a steep price. the best thing we gave up was jarret allen. the risk is very much mitigated by houston owing 4 of its next 5 picks to OKC. that and our current situation will make it extremely unlikely more then 2 convery and a good bet 0 convey.

For an MVP and top 5 player AND we still have depth.

People drastically overrated levert, overstated a percieved lack of depth post trade, and criminially underrated harden all while neglecting the impact of always having 2 all-nba players on the floor. take it further and harden keeps you afloat with KD/Kyrie durability issues.

[3pt_chucker]

It's crazy how Harden's approval rating with Nets fans has already skyrocketed to almost 100%. He's fit in like a glove, from his personality to play on the court, he's been fantastic.

I just hope he keeps this up past the honeymoon phase.