Take away the 15 games Harden has 40+ pts this season, he still leads league

[CelticsElite]

In scoring

https://twitter.com/cayleighgriffin/status/1217117785807081473

[CelticsPoetry]

 Statistically speaking he's amazing, but he's doing by gaming the system. He has an ugly game, gets loads of superstar calls and plays no defense. Oh, and he chokes in the playoffs. So far, for all his "brilliance", it hasnt led to much playoff success.

[RPGenerate]

Really doesn't mean much to me until he proves he can get it done in the playoffs.

[petbrick]

Statistically speaking he's amazing, but he's doing by gaming the system. He has an ugly game, gets loads of superstar calls and plays no defense. Oh, and he chokes in the playoffs. So far, for all his "brilliance", it hasnt led to much playoff success.

It definitely seems like his time with Houston has lead to some of the least aesthetically pleasing basketball of the last 20 years or so. And that includes the isofest that was the early 00's

[gouki88]

Wow. Can’t really stand to watch Houston games (god forbid they make the Finals), but that’s a crazy number

[PhoSita]

Has there ever been a player before Harden who so directly created a conflict between impressive raw numbers production and the aesthetic aspect of the game?


Winning and producing matters -- it's why players and teams compete.

But the entire point of sport is entertainment, spectacle.  The league only survives to the extent that fans enjoy the game and want to watch.


Harden and the Rockets are pressing on the dividing line between those two things.  Which should win out?


He's great but he's no fun to watch.  Does that matter?  Should it?

[nickagneta]

Well, the league survived the Pat Reilly Knicks and Heat and the disgusting to watch, grabbing, holding offense stifling, defense that turned so many games into 79-76 slugfests. That was some seriously ugly basketball

[CelticsPoetry]

Well, the league survived the Pat Reilly Knicks and Heat and the disgusting to watch, grabbing, holding offense stifling, defense that turned so many games into 79-76 slugfests. That was some seriously ugly basketball

I'd rather watch a defensive slog than 50 FTs and 40 threes

[PhoSita]

Well, the league survived the Pat Reilly Knicks and Heat and the disgusting to watch, grabbing, holding offense stifling, defense that turned so many games into 79-76 slugfests. That was some seriously ugly basketball

The league also implemented a bunch of rule changes to try and phase out that style of play that many fans didn't like, right?

I wonder if the league will do something about the "frees and threes" style of play before it becomes too widespread.



The tricky thing is that ball movement leading to outside shots is fun to watch.  See: 13/14 Spurs, 15/16 Warriors.

But heavy isolation basketball aimed at generating a lot of fouls and step back threes ... that stinks.

[SHAQATTACK]

i d trade Wannamaker for Harden

[nickagneta]

Well, the league survived the Pat Reilly Knicks and Heat and the disgusting to watch, grabbing, holding offense stifling, defense that turned so many games into 79-76 slugfests. That was some seriously ugly basketball

The league also implemented a bunch of rule changes to try and phase out that style of play that many fans didn't like, right?

I wonder if the league will do something about the "frees and threes" style of play before it becomes too widespread.



The tricky thing is that ball movement leading to outside shots is fun to watch.  See: 13/14 Spurs, 15/16 Warriors.

But heavy isolation basketball aimed at generating a lot of fouls and step back threes ... that stinks.

Yes. Yes the league did change the rules to stop that. Not sure they will make rule changes to stop Harden's ugly game though. Just can't see how to do it other than to tell the refs to stop giving superstars "superstar" foul calls.

[tenn_smoothie]

Yeah, some people love the guy. I view James Harden and his game as everything that is wrong with basketball.

[RockinRyA]

Well, the league survived the Pat Reilly Knicks and Heat and the disgusting to watch, grabbing, holding offense stifling, defense that turned so many games into 79-76 slugfests. That was some seriously ugly basketball

The league also implemented a bunch of rule changes to try and phase out that style of play that many fans didn't like, right?

I wonder if the league will do something about the "frees and threes" style of play before it becomes too widespread.



The tricky thing is that ball movement leading to outside shots is fun to watch.  See: 13/14 Spurs, 15/16 Warriors.

But heavy isolation basketball aimed at generating a lot of fouls and step back threes ... that stinks.

This.

[Somebody]

I actually enjoy watching Harden's isolation unless he's ice cold lol, he just has so many tricks in his bag to set up efficient looks for himself and his teammates. Obviously it starts looking like crap if he isn't humming, but when he's on his game is really fun to watch imo.

[Celtics4ever]

To me his game is boring.  The star calls he gets are ridiculous.   Great player who can score but not win a modern day Bernard King.