OT: James Harden ballin like crazy.

[Kitaman]

I didn't realize that he;s been averaging over 25 points a game for the last 6 seasons. He appears to also share the ball (at least more than Iverson used to). Everyone loves Curry and Irving but damn this guy is on another level. Chris Paul out, no problem.

He's unguardable; crafty, accurate, gets to the rim, has mid and long range in his arsenal, he has handles, and a masterful handles including the sick 'Kemba' crossover and has a masterful stepback move. Oh yeah he's an artist at drawing fouls.

I'll admit I never admired his game, thought it was selfish, and secondary to Russell and the others. But now I'm a fan, especially since he upped his defensive play. He's no longer one dimensional (scorer only).

Its like I'm describing the perfect 2 guard (he's 6'5").

I'm not an NBAer but what is your take on his game? Can he sustain this for the rest of his career?

 

[Lefty2one]

He rubs a lot of people the wrong way because he hunts fouls to an absurd extent and gets away with murder offensively: travels (his newish stepback is legal yet silly), should-be offensive fouls/initiating contact, and carries (not that anyone gets called for palming in the NBA). He stretches the NBA rulebook to the extreme. Given how today's game is officiated, he's an impossible cover, especially with the way refs let him jump into defenders in legal guarding position yet it's a defensive foul more often than not. He gets calls in way that'd make MJ jealous. It's frustrating because he is a supremely talented offensive player who doesn't need to play like that. I remember a few years back he went through a stretch where he was passing up wide open layups to go seek contact instead, often leading to poor results.

As always, the playoffs will be interesting because the NBA changes the way it calls games. Four seasons ago they stopped giving Harden a lot of those calls in the WCF and he had a very up and down series, especially the clinching game where he had a dozen turnovers or whatever the number was.

The biggest thing he'll have to face over the next few years is that Pringles will run him into the ground in the regular season Thibs-style. The idiot has never learned that the NBA titles are won in May and June, not December and January. Harden's usage with CP3 sidelined is insane; it wouldn't surprise me if HOU didn't reach the WCF because Harden will be cooked by then.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

43 points on 8 field goals? No thanks.

 

[superjohn]

Hate the way he plays but he's been getting a 40 point triple double every night the past couple of weeks. He's obviously great but I've never seen a player take advantage of the rules more than he does. He always seems to come back to earth in the playoffs.

 

[nomar]

That shot he made against GSW was insane. Two guys draped all over him.

I hate the traveling and the throwing his body around to get fouls, but the guy is an all-time great.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Lmaoooo Colin Cowherd’s take today

Preview/Cliffsnote: he’s the Kirk Cousins of the NBA

 

[Griffman]

I'll take him on my fantasy hoop team because he is a stat stuffer but he came up lame Game 7 last year vs Golden State in the Conference Finals when it mattered. He's tough to stop in today's NBA where the court is spread and defenders can't breath on him or they'll be called for a foul. The is more to the game than getting triple doubles. The guy couldn't guard me.

 

[ZenConn]

Fouls, travels. Harden is pushing the limits of what the refs are calling against him. Kudos to him on that front. If they aren't going to call it, might as well keep doing it.

 

[AdamaNation]

Hate the way he plays but he's been getting a 40 point triple double every night the past couple of weeks. He's obviously great but I've never seen a player take advantage of the rules more than he does. He always seems to come back to earth in the playoffs.

Guess that means he has a bbiq on professorial levels.

 

[traitor71]

The guy has great range, a great step back and euro step, and he finds open guys. I sometimes wonder how he manages to do it, because he doesn't look like he is quick enough, fast enough, strong enough, etc. He's going to go face down though if they don't get Chris Paul and Eric Gordon back soon. If they are healthy They have a chance to win the title, hell if Paul didn't get hurt last year I think they would have won it then as he takes so much of the pressure off of Harden.

 

[TheChamps990411]

The guy has great range, a great step back and euro step, and he finds open guys. I sometimes wonder how he manages to do it, because he doesn't look like he is quick enough, fast enough, strong enough, etc. He's going to go face down though if they don't get Chris Paul and Eric Gordon back soon. If they are healthy They have a chance to win the title, hell if Paul didn't get hurt last year I think they would have won it then as he takes so much of the pressure off of Harden.

Paul gets hurt every year. When they signed him I knew he wasn't going to be there when they needed him. Paul when he's healthy is a great player but you simply cant count on him to be there.

 

[gtcam]

Kyrie does more (plays D for one)
Yes Harden is a real talent but has been said for many years - he travels a lot and has no desire to expend any energy when the ball isn't in his hands
He has improved his passing - a lot
As far as throwing his body for fouls? Everyone in the league does it

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Kyrie does more (plays D for one)
Yes Harden is a real talent but has been said for many years - he travels a lot and has no desire to expend any energy when the ball isn't in his hands
He has improved his passing - a lot
As far as throwing his body for fouls? Everyone in the league does it

Just stop. Kyrie is not better than Harden, and its not really close either.