Welcome James Harden!

Bum Adebayo · Post #1041 » by **Bum Adebayo** » Sun Apr 24, 2022 12:36 pm

Harden is just a role player at this point, a good one mind you, but still a role player, his role is to distribute and be able to score at times, but cannot put pressure on the rim anymore like a true star could, that ship has sailed. I believe it could be enough with another year of gelling in the offesason with a bit more time though.

mjkvol · Post #1042 » by **mjkvol** » Sun Apr 24, 2022 1:04 pm

M2J wrote:Yeah Harden is still great, but he needs to tweak his game to remain a superstar. Floater, midrange, but mainly catch and shoot 3s. His lack of athleticism gets fixed by becoming a knock down shooter.

Last year when he was primarily healthy and Morey tried to trade for him....I was against it because I didn't think he'd be this willing of a playmaker.... And he isn't really a shooter or effective off the ball. Well his playmaking is top notch. He still draws coverage, and can attack one on one effectively and from the pick and roll. Though his current production isn't that of a superstar any longer.... He's arguably the best offensive point guard in the league when his shot falls.

This nails it. Harden has shown that he still has the ability to blow by people, and I have to believe that he will spend the summer working on ways to score the ball other than going to the rack, like the floater and the midrange pull up you mentioned.

He is already working on C&S 3's, and should make that a more effective weapon moving forward as well. Providing him a lob threat would be huge, and Glenn would be a fool to not see Reed and/or Bassey as that guy next season and have them working on it.

okboomer · Post #1043 » by **okboomer** » Sun Apr 24, 2022 1:23 pm

He normally adds something to his game every summer. I think he will come back with something else next season. Though yesterday would have been a great game for him to take over as it was a a struggle to score.

Negrodamus · Post #1044 » by **Negrodamus** » Sun Apr 24, 2022 3:38 pm

Watch on YouTube

Aside from burst, is he all that different than here? I feel like he just got a lot more fouls called prior to last season and now a lot of those fouls at the rim are called blocks and he's not getting as many 3pt fouls called.

Ferry Avenue · Post #1045 » by **Ferry Avenue** » Sun Apr 24, 2022 4:20 pm

Negrodamus wrote:

Watch on YouTube

Aside from burst, is he all that different than here? I feel like he just got a lot more fouls called prior to last season and now a lot of those fouls at the rim are called blocks and he's not getting as many 3pt fouls called.

Burst alone explains a great deal. Explosiveness in an athlete is highly predictive of performance.

So while his current game may in fact be similar in some ways to his game in that video, "setting aside" burst is tantamount to contemplating an entirely different player.

Negrodamus · Post #1046 » by **Negrodamus** » Sun Apr 24, 2022 5:24 pm

Ferry Avenue wrote:
Negrodamus wrote:

Watch on YouTube

Aside from burst, is he all that different than here? I feel like he just got a lot more fouls called prior to last season and now a lot of those fouls at the rim are called blocks and he's not getting as many 3pt fouls called.

Burst alone explains a great deal. Explosiveness in an athlete is highly predictive of performance.

So while his current game may in fact be similar in some ways to his game in that video, "setting aside" burst is tantamount to contemplating an entirely different player.

I don’t even think his burst looks prohibitive. He wasn’t much of a cram in traffic type player.

spikeslovechild · Post #1047 » by **spikeslovechild** » Sun Apr 24, 2022 6:10 pm

Bum Adebayo wrote:Harden is just a role player at this point, a good one mind you, but still a role player, his role is to distribute and be able to score at times, but cannot put pressure on the rim anymore like a true star could, that ship has sailed. I believe it could be enough with another year of gelling in the offesason with a bit more time though.

I mean I don't think 30-35PPG harden is ever coming back but he could easily still be a 25-27 PPG guy. Key is how much of his decline is age and how much is it fitness and his hammy problems.

And will he ever get into shape.

Ferry Avenue · Post #1048 » by **Ferry Avenue** » Sun Apr 24, 2022 6:42 pm

spikeslovechild wrote:
Bum Adebayo wrote:Harden is just a role player at this point, a good one mind you, but still a role player, his role is to distribute and be able to score at times, but cannot put pressure on the rim anymore like a true star could, that ship has sailed. I believe it could be enough with another year of gelling in the offesason with a bit more time though.

I mean I don't think 30-35PPG harden is ever coming back but he could easily still be a 25-27 PPG guy. Key is how much of his decline is age and how much is it fitness and his hammy problems.

And will he ever get into shape.

If Harden were a 25-27 PPG player this team would be a championship contender. I don't even think he's that.

Harden as a 25-27 PPG guy, with Embiid, is the true "Shaq and Kobe" comparison that was being made when he was obtained, and thus championship material. How he is currently hardly triggers anything of the sort.

With Harden as he is, you have to make sure Maxey gets his points. That's where this team's fortunes hinge.

Post #1049 » by **Sixerscan** » Sun Apr 24, 2022 7:12 pm

At the risk of getting into a semantics debate, the guy averaged 22/10 on 60% true shooting. He's not an MVP candidate but he's also not a role player anymore than, like, Darius Garland is.

FireMorey · Post #1050 » by **FireMorey** » Sun Apr 24, 2022 7:18 pm

Can't wait to give him the max and that isn't sarcasm. Will be worth every penny and haters are gonna hate.

Bum Adebayo · Post #1051 » by **Bum Adebayo** » Sun Apr 24, 2022 7:26 pm

FireMorey wrote:Can't wait to give him the max and that isn't sarcasm. Will be worth every penny and haters are gonna hate.

We gave Bum Simmons max money, heck even Tobias Sorrys, this is much better still.

mjkvol · Post #1052 » by **mjkvol** » Sun Apr 24, 2022 7:38 pm

Negrodamus wrote:

Watch on YouTube

Aside from burst, is he all that different than here? I feel like he just got a lot more fouls called prior to last season and now a lot of those fouls at the rim are called blocks and he's not getting as many 3pt fouls called.

And if Reed and/or Bassey can become that lob threat it will add another weapon he doesn't have at the moment. I think he'll adjust to the officiating and will further develop that baby floater and midrange pull up which will mitigate the issues he's having finishing at the rim and will help his game age more effectively.

Give me Harden at 22-10 and it will be more than worth extending him.

spikeslovechild · Post #1053 » by **spikeslovechild** » Sun Apr 24, 2022 8:14 pm

Sixerscan wrote:At the risk of getting into a semantics debate, the guy averaged 22/10 on 60% true shooting. He's not an MVP candidate but he's also not a role player anymore than, like, Darius Garland is.

That is why I don't think 25-27 is that much of an ask if they can get his body and diet right. Harden has to realize he isn't 25 anymore he can't get away with the things he used to.

Ferry Avenue · Post #1054 » by **Ferry Avenue** » Mon Apr 25, 2022 2:19 am

CJ McCollum is sure looking like he would’ve been a better addition to this team than James Harden.

Murray_17 · Post #1055 » by **Murray_17** » Mon Apr 25, 2022 2:25 am

Ferry Avenue wrote:CJ McCollum is sure looking like he would’ve been a better addition to this team than James Harden.

https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask?q=cj+mccollum%25ts+last+3+games

You're so desperate for this narrative is kind of sad. You tried the same with the Nets and forgot about them now that they're about to get swept.

CJ is shooting the ball more than Embiid right now, btw.

Is James Harden playing amazing? No, but he's been a great playmaker which is one ofthe things this team needed badly

ExplosionsInDaSky · Post #1056 » by **ExplosionsInDaSky** » Mon Apr 25, 2022 2:31 am

Ferry Avenue wrote:CJ McCollum is sure looking like he would’ve been a better addition to this team than James Harden.

That's definitely debatable, but I still think Harden is the better overall player. I like that CJ is finally getting to be a lead guard though.

Negrodamus · Post #1057 » by **Negrodamus** » Mon Apr 25, 2022 3:34 am

Timely suggestion as McCollum is laying a huge turd tonight.

spikeslovechild · Post #1058 » by **spikeslovechild** » Mon Apr 25, 2022 3:45 am

Negrodamus wrote:Timely suggestion as McCollum is laying a huge turd tonight.

McCollum would also be absolutely dreadful next to Maxey defensively.

76ciology · Post #1059 » by **76ciology** » Mon Apr 25, 2022 3:50 am

Why Harden over CJ?

Harden will beat you if you just defend him on single coverage

Harden will beat you if you send help

CJ will not beat you if you just defend him on single coverage

CJ will not beat you if you send help

Harden is the best ISO scorer in the playoffs right now as per stats. He arguably is the second best playmaker after CP3.

Murray_17 · Post #1060 » by **Murray_17** » Mon Apr 25, 2022 4:27 am

Negrodamus wrote:Timely suggestion as McCollum is laying a huge turd tonight.

Before today he had a 52% TS for the series too while shoting 44.8% from 3 on 9 attempts which means he's been absolutely awful at any other shot....

He's basically killing the Pels everytime he takes a shot that is not a 3.