Has James Harden ever been the best player in the league?

SUPERVILLAIN · Post #1 » by **SUPERVILLAIN** » Sat Feb 5, 2022 9:19 am

What's the highest rank James Harden ever reached during his prime years?

Stats
2016-17: 29.1 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 11.2 APG, .440 FG%, .347 3P%, .847 FT% (MVP runner-up)
2017-18: 30.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 8.8 APG, .449 FG%, .367 3P%, .858 FT% (MVP)
2018-19: 36.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 7.5 APG, .442 FG%, .368 3P%, .879 FT% (MVP runner-up)

JimmyPlopper · Post #2 » by **JimmyPlopper** » Sat Feb 5, 2022 9:26 am

Better question: has he ever been truly happy

Saint_Killa · Post #3 » by **Saint_Killa** » Sat Feb 5, 2022 10:03 am

No, never, he`s been an MVP though, that amounts to something

Kingdibs19 · Post #4 » by **Kingdibs19** » Sat Feb 5, 2022 10:06 am

No it’s always been Lebron or Giannis or Curry

theoilslick · Post #5 » by **theoilslick** » Sat Feb 5, 2022 10:20 am

SUPERVILLAIN wrote:What's the highest rank James Harden ever reached during his prime years?

Stats
2016-17: 29.1 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 11.2 APG, .440 FG%, .347 3P%, .847 FT% (MVP runner-up)
2017-18: 30.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 8.8 APG, .449 FG%, .367 3P%, .858 FT% (MVP)
2018-19: 36.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 7.5 APG, .442 FG%, .368 3P%, .879 FT% (MVP runner-up)

That 2017-18 MVP I think wins. :nod:

SUPERVILLAIN · Post #6 » by **SUPERVILLAIN** » Sat Feb 5, 2022 10:23 am

JimmyPlopper wrote:Better question: has he ever been truly happy

dhsilv2 · Post #7 » by **dhsilv2** » Sat Feb 5, 2022 12:20 pm

He was in the conversation and that's about as good as it gets for most players historically. Very rarely is there a clear cut best player in the league.

michaelm · Post #8 » by **michaelm** » Sat Feb 5, 2022 1:30 pm

dhsilv2 wrote:He was in the conversation and that's about as good as it gets for most players historically. Very rarely is there a clear cut best player in the league.

I disagree with them, but the players considered him to be the best player in the MVP vote for the 2014-15 season.

Upperclass · Post #9 » by **Upperclass** » Sat Feb 5, 2022 1:35 pm

Both years the Rockets lost to the Warriors in the WCF he was the best player in the league. The year they lost in the bubble he was top 2

brutalitops · Post #10 » by **brutalitops** » Sat Feb 5, 2022 1:45 pm

dhsilv2 wrote:He was in the conversation and that's about as good as it gets for most players historically. Very rarely is there a clear cut best player in the league.

Hey, Stop with your sensible and reasonable statement

dhsilv2 · Post #11 » by **dhsilv2** » Sat Feb 5, 2022 1:46 pm

michaelm wrote:
dhsilv2 wrote:He was in the conversation and that's about as good as it gets for most players historically. Very rarely is there a clear cut best player in the league.

I disagree with them, but the players considered him to be the best player in the MVP vote for the .2014-15 season.

Players don't like off ball impact. They seem to only focus on individual scoring among players...it's crazy to me how bad players are at seeing value.

Time for Change · Post #12 » by **Time for Change** » Sat Feb 5, 2022 2:05 pm

In Harden’s MVP year, Curry had an absolutely insane .675 TS% and lead the league in RAPM again, but he only played 51 games so it’s probably fair to say Harden was more valuable that year, but was he better, not so sure…

Bob Ross · Post #13 » by **Bob Ross** » Sat Feb 5, 2022 2:18 pm

No. He and I both share that distinction

Post #14 » by **Duffman100** » Sat Feb 5, 2022 2:32 pm

Offensive player? Sure.

But never the best overall player.

Godymas · Post #15 » by **Godymas** » Sat Feb 5, 2022 2:33 pm

2018 probably and even then, LeBron has an argument. But Harden was literally the most efficient player in the league, the most winning player in the league, had the higher BPM, best scorer in the league. The only reason his VORP was below LeBron that year was because LeBron played more minutes and was slightly more efficient in terms of shooting but in every single measurable way and from team record and overall performance James Harden was the best player in 2018.

It's also crazy to me how little talk Harden's assist numbers ever get. He's basically averaged double digit assists almost 5 seasons now.

Obviously if you want to put playoffs in the picture LeBron was always the best guy in the playoffs. But even then, Harden made the WCF finals, almost beat the team that completely destroyed LeBron in the finals, so is it really worth saying LeBron was better in the 2018 playoffs?

Post #16 » by **dockingsched** » Sat Feb 5, 2022 2:35 pm

James Harden has had great seasons with the best offensive numbers due to the role he played on his teams but he was never the best player in the league.

Ugalde · Post #17 » by **Ugalde** » Sat Feb 5, 2022 2:40 pm

never

UcanUwill · Post #18 » by **UcanUwill** » Sat Feb 5, 2022 2:44 pm

Poll results are surprising, I think he never was best player quite clearly.

Kingdibs19 · Post #19 » by **Kingdibs19** » Sat Feb 5, 2022 3:37 pm

2010: Lebron
2011: Lebron
2012: Lebron
2013: Lebron
2014: Lebron
2015: Curry
2016: Lebron
2017: Lebron
2018: Lebron
2019: Curry
2020: Lebron
2021: Giannis
2022: Giannis

Marty McFly · Post #20 » by **Marty McFly** » Sat Feb 5, 2022 3:46 pm

He arguably was the best player in basketball from 2016-2020.

averaged 36/7/5 in 2019/2020 with a TS% of .635 and led the league in winshares; lead the league in winshares the 3 years preceding that.

If the Rox won the title in 2019 he'd have a more concrete claim.

What's the highest James Harden has ever ranked?