There's a media agenda against James Harden

[Fallen Angel]

and it's the most frustrating thing to watch as a Rockets fan

[SsKSpurs21]

They only highlight his lapses on defense. They rarely show his steals or blocks.

[IllegalD]

and it's the most frustrating thing to watch as a Rockets fan

No agenda.

He was hyped up plenty last year, most even going as far as saying he shoulda been the real MVP.

When Dwight joined them they were billed as a "new age Shaq/Kobe"

Don't me angry just because Harden is getting exposed as a fake superstar who has no heart and doesn't want to play defense.

Rockets are one of the biggest fugazy pretenders of the past couple of years.

[navy]

No, James Harden's defensive lapses are very uncommon and highlight worthy. This dude literally checks out of the game on defense. No bias. Just terrible.

[plowking]

He is quite bad on defense, but the fact the media and particularly ESPN are targeting him is pretty cringe. He has plenty of highlights yet they pick that to put out there?

[navy]

He is quite bad on defense, but the fact the media and particularly ESPN are targeting him is pretty cringe. He has plenty of highlights yet they pick that to put out there?
Have you ever seen a player do that as many times as Harden?

[Fallen Angel]

Have you ever seen a player do that as many times as Harden?
I'm sure if you targeted a another player you could find him having the same lapses on defense.

[Gileraracer]

What kind of agenda?

He plays no D at all and is a known flopper. Without at least 15 fts he barely gets 30 points. It's just no fun to watch and still he thinks he should be MVP.

Thank god there's no "D" in MVP.

[navy]

I'm sure if you targeted a another player you could find him having the same lapses on defense.
No, not like Harden. In any case as a Rockets fan you should hope it lights a fire in his eyes to stop.

[pnyozzzoo]

people love to hate him, i mean who gives a shit about him outside Houston. and the player choice mvp last year, now look back its cringe worthy just like all his defensive highlight. If i were his teammate i would punch his teeth out, jesus you hog the ball pad the shit out of your stats and just telephone pole your defensive side and let all of us carry you to 200 mil contract its criminal really.

I m glad the league is moving towards team ball concept ,passing, set play and camaraderie. The ball hog super stars that starve others possession and touches to pad their own are not wining and fading. The melo, Harden iso joe just cannot be ur no.1 guy on a contender. to an extend the Westbrook and Lebron all suck their teammates dry also cannot win at the highest order. pretty iso regular season record, doomed championship hope.

[Fallen Angel]

No agenda.

He was hyped up plenty last year, most even going as far as saying he shoulda been the real MVP.

When Dwight joined them they were billed as a "new age Shaq/Kobe"

Don't me angry just because Harden is getting exposed as a fake superstar who has no heart and doesn't want to play defense.

Rockets are one of the biggest fugazy pretenders of the past couple of years.

Harden was the MVP in many players' eyes. The Rockets had no deal winning 55+ games and winning their division, but Harden single-handedly got them to that point. He did it without Dwight Howard for half the season, which is even more impressive.

I blame Dwight's end for the Shaq/Kobe comparisons to creep up. Dwight has been linked to Shaq so much at that point in his career, so people continued to compare the two. But speaking in general terms, if your team has an elite SG and elite C on the same team then you're bound to get comparisons to Shaq and Kobe.

Harden isn't a "fake superstar". You can be a superstar and not be a decent defender. Harden is an amazing offensive talent and translates to wins just from his scoring and passing. Harden's heart has been on display when this team has needed him the most this season. His heart was on display all last season when the entire team was ran through him and depended on him for wins.

[Im Still Ballin]

They left you behind. They left you behind!

[hold this L]

Crazy at how different Harden & Curry are this year esp compared to last season. Just look at their last games.

Harden 44 minutes, 33/5/8/1 8 turnovers
Curry 28 minutes, 34/6/4 2 turnovers

I talk about turnovers because Harden is pissed at Curry & GS breaking so many records. He's also doing his best and is well on his way to break the TO record in a season. :pimp: He's a huge ballhog, his game is ugly, plays no D, diva, got his coach fired, Kardashian link, FT machine, ISO machine. Dude has more ISOs than the entire GSW team for example. Saying that, he's still a superstar and one of the top 5 offensive talents in the league. Rockets are also still better with him than without him. But there's plenty of reasons not to like the dude. :confusedshrug:

[Zach LaVine]

They just see the same problems we see :confusedshrug:

[Fallen Angel]

Crazy at how different Harden & Curry are this year esp compared to last season. Just look at their last games.

Harden 44 minutes, 33/5/8/1 8 turnovers
Curry 28 minutes, 34/6/4 2 turnovers

I talk about turnovers because Harden is pissed at Curry & GS breaking so many records. He's also doing his best and is well on his way to break the TO record in a season. :pimp: He's a huge ballhog, his game is ugly, plays no D, diva, got his coach fired, Kardashian link, FT machine, ISO machine. Dude has more ISOs than the entire GSW team for example. Saying that, he's still a superstar and one of the top 5 offensive talents in the league. Rockets are also still better with him than without him. But there's plenty of reasons not to like the dude. :confusedshrug:
Different roles between Harden and Curry. Harden doesn't have a player who can allow him to play off-ball the way Draymond and Bogut allow Curry to score off backdoors. Then you get into the minutes thing, if the Rockets could blow out a team by halftime consistently then he'd be able to play less than 30 minutes per game.

[Zach LaVine]

Different roles between Harden and Curry. Harden doesn't have a player who can allow him to play off-ball the way Draymond and Bogut allow Curry to score off backdoors. Then you get into the minutes thing, if the Rockets could blow out a team by halftime consistently then he'd be able to play less than 30 minutes per game.
If Harden were better, maybe they could do that.

[Fallen Angel]

He's playing great basketball. Look at his post-ASG stats and you'll see he's the second best player in the league after Curry in that timeframe.

We as a collective team need to share the ball more, pass up good shots for great shots, and play better transition defense. Harden is accountable, Howard is accountable, everyone is accountable.

[hold this L]

He's playing great basketball. Look at his post-ASG stats and you'll see he's the second best player in the league after Curry in that timeframe.

We as a collective team need to share the ball more, pass up good shots for great shots, and play better transition defense. Harden is accountable, Howard is accountable, everyone is accountable.
The guy ISOs more than the entire GS team mate, don't you think he is largely accountable for why your team does not play like a team? The last coach that focused more on that, Harden got him fired. :facepalm

I don't mind when he gets hated on because I don't like him either, but I agree that you can't deny even with his ugly as fvk game and deficiencies, he's still a superstar and amazing attacking force.

[Bless Mathews]

Op is sissy

Just like hOarden

He's a floppin bitch.

Such a bitch.

Beta bitch.

With a 5'7" white boy sized dicc

James hOarden is what's wrong with the league.

He's a punk bitch that plays no defense.

Ho.

[Wally450]

If Harden's teammates were better, maybe they could do that.

Fixed.

[Fallen Angel]

The guy ISOs more than the entire GS team mate, don't you think he is largely accountable for why your team does not play like a team? The last coach that focused more on that, Harden got him fired. :facepalm

I don't mind when he gets hated on because I don't like him either, but I agree that you can't deny even with his ugly as fvk game and deficiencies, he's still a superstar and amazing attacking force.
That's how the Rockets play. Golden State can play free flow basketball because they have chemistry and players who can pass, shoot, and cut to fit their style.

The Rockets don't even have a secondary scorer on their team. Even the most iso driven players in the league have a system or teammate to take some burden off them.

Carmelo has the Triangle
Lebron has Kyrie
Derozan has Lowry
Lillard has McCollum
Durant has Westbrook (and vice versa)

Harden doesn't have that. There are two reasons the ball sticks to Harden's hands: the Rockets have no other option and Harden wants to do all he can to win the game for his team.

[Rocketswin2013]

he is what he is. i dont think hes gonna start trying on defense until the team has talent again. ive accepted this.

[hold this L]

That's how the Rockets play. Golden State can play free flow basketball because they have chemistry and players who can pass, shoot, and cut to fit their style.

The Rockets don't even have a secondary scorer on their team. Even the most iso driven players in the league have a system or teammate to take some burden off them.

Carmelo has the Triangle
Lebron has Kyrie
Derozan has Lowry
Lillard has McCollum
Durant has Westbrook (and vice versa)

Harden doesn't have that. There are two reasons the ball sticks to Harden's hands: the Rockets have no other option and Harden wants to do all he can to win the game for his team.
I would argue Howard is that, just poorly implemented. Harden is just a massive ballhog and has gotten progressively worse over time. Just look at Varejao, the guy is properly setting screens 2-4 weeks after he joined the team. That's the 3rd choice back up and someone that barely did it with the Cavs, but he does it successfully. People put to too much emphasis on the team playing all for Curry. This narrative that the opposite is more true for me. Though of course Kerr's style and players help Curry out, the way he's playing is another story entirely.

[AirTupac]

I'm sure if you targeted a another player you could find him having the same lapses on defense.

No? You see the beautiful thing about reddit , ISH and the internet is that highlights are ALWAYS posted when someone plays D like this. And 90% of the time, its Harden. You lose you stupid pathetic Rockets fan, you deserve these cringe inducing bozos on your sad team who cant even contend with their contending squad :roll: :roll: Rest in piss you little dirty maggot

[zizozain]

people love to hate him, i mean who gives a shit about him outside Houston. and the player choice mvp last year, now look back its cringe worthy just like all his defensive highlight. If i were his teammate i would punch his teeth out, jesus you hog the ball pad the shit out of your stats and just telephone pole your defensive side and let all of us carry you to 200 mil contract its criminal really.

I m glad the league is moving towards team ball concept ,passing, set play and camaraderie. The ball hog super stars that starve others possession and touches to pad their own are not wining and fading. The melo, Harden iso joe just cannot be ur no.1 guy on a contender. to an extend the Westbrook and Lebron all suck their teammates dry also cannot win at the highest order. pretty iso regular season record, doomed championship hope.
:applause: :applause:

repped

[TommyGriffin]

Thread backfire.

[Vancouver-Grizz]

Think Media is just having fun with Harden. His defense is really not as bad as shown on all those GIFs...

Harden is just easy to hate on with his partying with the Kardashians which makes him a story right away.

Doesnt help that his team is hovering .500 and not getting Howard more then 9 shots a game... YIKES.....

[TheMarkMadsen]

He turns the ball over 5 times per game and plays no defense

[Jacks3]

There's no agenda. His defensive impact numbers are among the worst in the league. He's been absolutely terrible.

[1manfastbreak]

I expected the Rockets to be really good this year. Like 55+ wins good. I think people are more surprised by how average they are this season compared to how good they were last year.

It's not just that Harden has defensive lapses, but it is how he has them. Literally just standing still and letting someone run behind you in just terrible. I think he's mentioned before that it is tough to carry the load on offense and be a lockdown defender, while playing 38 MINUTES PER GAME.

Unfortunately for Harden he is the best player on the team so he is going to take a majority of the criticism, specially with the expectations of this team coming into the season.

[BlazerRed]

Well deserved, thanks media :applause:

[Old Man River]

he used to get a pass but everyone not from houston that sees the game knows he sucks on d so eventually the media caught on

[90sgoat]

people love to hate him, i mean who gives a shit about him outside Houston. and the player choice mvp last year, now look back its cringe worthy just like all his defensive highlight. If i were his teammate i would punch his teeth out, jesus you hog the ball pad the shit out of your stats and just telephone pole your defensive side and let all of us carry you to 200 mil contract its criminal really.

I m glad the league is moving towards team ball concept ,passing, set play and camaraderie. The ball hog super stars that starve others possession and touches to pad their own are not wining and fading. The melo, Harden iso joe just cannot be ur no.1 guy on a contender. to an extend the Westbrook and Lebron all suck their teammates dry also cannot win at the highest order. pretty iso regular season record, doomed championship hope.
:cheers:

[Black and White]

He's a player that has superstar talent at that start of his prime who is a complete no show on defense, his ass deserves to get called out, all the other superstars in the league got shat on at some point.

[bobopenguin]

That's how the Rockets play. Golden State can play free flow basketball because they have chemistry and players who can pass, shoot, and cut to fit their style.

The Rockets don't even have a secondary scorer on their team. Even the most iso driven players in the league have a system or teammate to take some burden off them.

Carmelo has the Triangle
Lebron has Kyrie
Derozan has Lowry
Lillard has McCollum
Durant has Westbrook (and vice versa)

Harden doesn't have that. There are two reasons the ball sticks to Harden's hands: the Rockets have no other option and Harden wants to do all he can to win the game for his team.

typical rockets fans.

dragic, lowry, lin, parsons, they are all solid.

[KungFuJoe]

typical rockets fans.

dragic, lowry, lin, parsons, they are all solid.

Dragic and Lowry were gone before Harden arrived.

He still deserves all the criticism though.

He plays like he's high all the time. When I smoke out I play better offense in terms of scoring cuz I don't care. Missed a shot? Don't phase me cuz I already forgot. But I never move without the ball and only care when I have it in my hands. On defense I'm a total liability because I forget I'm guarding someone. Lol.

[Spurs m8]

He's an over hyped idiot with an ugly game...im so happy everyones caught on this season....1 season of talking up this goose was enough tbh

Who's cooking now, bitch?

[aj1987]

people love to hate him, i mean who gives a shit about him outside Houston. and the player choice mvp last year, now look back its cringe worthy just like all his defensive highlight. If i were his teammate i would punch his teeth out, jesus you hog the ball pad the shit out of your stats and just telephone pole your defensive side and let all of us carry you to 200 mil contract its criminal really.

I m glad the league is moving towards team ball concept ,passing, set play and camaraderie. The ball hog super stars that starve others possession and touches to pad their own are not wining and fading. The melo, Harden iso joe just cannot be ur no.1 guy on a contender. to an extend the Westbrook and Lebron all suck their teammates dry also cannot win at the highest order. pretty iso regular season record, doomed championship hope.
You do know that LeBron has 2 b2b titles, right?

[Euroleague]

Harden was the MVP in many players' eyes. The Rockets had no deal winning 55+ games and winning their division, but Harden single-handedly got them to that point. He did it without Dwight Howard for half the season, which is even more impressive.

I blame Dwight's end for the Shaq/Kobe comparisons to creep up. Dwight has been linked to Shaq so much at that point in his career, so people continued to compare the two. But speaking in general terms, if your team has an elite SG and elite C on the same team then you're bound to get comparisons to Shaq and Kobe.

Harden isn't a "fake superstar". You can be a superstar and not be a decent defender. Harden is an amazing offensive talent and translates to wins just from his scoring and passing. Harden's heart has been on display when this team has needed him the most this season. His heart was on display all last season when the entire team was ran through him and depended on him for wins.

Harden is an absolute joke and always has been an absolute joke. Presti knew what a complete clown he was, and Morey (the biggest retard in all of pro sports) was the only one dumb enough to sign him.

https://media3.giphy.com/media/lftGjtWv91Teo/200.gif

[Euroleague]

Op is sissy

Just like hOarden

He's a floppin bitch.

Such a bitch.

Beta bitch.

With a 5'7" white boy sized dicc

James hOarden is what's wrong with the league.

He's a punk bitch that plays no defense.

Ho.

https://media3.giphy.com/media/fdP6TS6bhzij6/200.gif