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To be fair, fortunately for Kyrie, he hasn't been tasked with the pressure and expectations of being The Man. Everything he's done, he's excelled at being the #2. He also isn't currently a #1 on a team with the roster deficiencies that Harden had, a team that was completely reliant on Harden's ability to score. Last night was about the third time this year already that Boston mounted a comeback with Kyrie sitting on the bench and/or playing below standard (they also mounted their comeback versus Cleveland under similar circumstances). The details of the circumstances are wholly different...
Now, I agree with and think it obvious that Harden has definitely not played as an elite player in the clutch postseason moments that his team has needed. But he's a better player than Kyrie. It's not close. Harden is Top 5, Kyrie is maybe Top 10 if you squeeze him in there, but probably not. Harden does have a more dynamic offensive game, not just the fact that he's a more profound scorer than Kyrie, he's also a better passer, moves better without the ball, etc...
@The City, I don't mind people saying Kyrie isn't Top 10. I personally ranked him at #12 based on last year, and he's done nothing to improve that standing to me---but there is a debate you can make with him and #s 9-11. Hence, I said "fringe" Top 10...
But he's a better player than Kyrie. It's not close. Harden is Top 5, Kyrie is maybe Top 10 if you squeeze him in there, but probably not. Harden does have a more dynamic offensive game, not just the fact that he's a more profound scorer than Kyrie, he's also a better passer, moves better without the ball, etc...
I never said anything about who the better all around player is. I said Kyrie is a better scorer. He's also a better scorer than Lebron, particularly in crunch time. That's not the same as saying he is a better player overall.
BTW, Harden shot 37.5% in the Finals with 2 future first ballot HOFers on his team. It seems he underperforms in the post-season whether he's the No. 1 option or the No. 3-5 option.
Curry is at risk of shooting below 40% from three for the first time in his career. He's currently shooting 37.7% from deep. This is a marked decline from his 2015-16 peak of 45.4%.
I never said anything about who the better all around player is. I said Kyrie is a better scorer. He's also a better scorer than Lebron, particularly in crunch time. That's not the same as saying he is a better player overall.
BTW, Harden shot 37.5% in the Finals with 2 future first ballot HOFers on his team. It seems he underperforms in the post-season whether he's the No. 1 option or the No. 3-5 option.
Mchail imo was correct, harden isn’t a leader. People (including harden) confuse “doing it all†and stat stuffing as leadership. Harden is the best player on the team but he’s not a leader.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DRob4JC
Speaking of efficiency... 90 points in the first half last night for the Rockets... and it looked easy.
Say what you want about Kyrie, but he's really the only player who consistently makes a mockery of the NBA's best team defense. The boy knows how to get buckets.
To be fair, fortunately for Kyrie, he hasn't been tasked with the pressure and expectations of being The Man. Everything he's done, he's excelled at being the #2. He also isn't currently a #1 on a team with the roster deficiencies that Harden had, a team that was completely reliant on Harden's ability to score. Last night was about the third time this year already that Boston mounted a comeback with Kyrie sitting on the bench and/or playing below standard (they also mounted their comeback versus Cleveland under similar circumstances). The details of the circumstances are wholly different...
Now, I agree with and think it obvious that Harden has definitely not played as an elite player in the clutch postseason moments that his team has needed. But he's a better player than Kyrie. It's not close. Harden is Top 5, Kyrie is maybe Top 10 if you squeeze him in there, but probably not. Harden does have a more dynamic offensive game, not just the fact that he's a more profound scorer than Kyrie, he's also a better passer, moves better without the ball, etc...
@The City, I don't mind people saying Kyrie isn't Top 10. I personally ranked him at #12 based on last year, and he's done nothing to improve that standing to me---but there is a debate you can make with him and #s 9-11. Hence, I said "fringe" Top 10...
I would say fringe top 20.
Let's not forget that Harden delivered 33.2/7/6.4 in the 1st round last year. He just ran into the Spurs' buzzsaw defense in Round 2 (and he still put up 24.5/9.7/4.7).
Quote:
Originally Posted by BajanYankee
I never said anything about who the better all around player is. I said Kyrie is a better scorer. He's also a better scorer than Lebron, particularly in crunch time. That's not the same as saying he is a better player overall.
BTW, Harden shot 37.5% in the Finals with 2 future first ballot HOFers on his team. It seems he underperforms in the post-season whether he's the No. 1 option or the No. 3-5 option.
Irving has only been to the playoffs 3 times. Irving has a higher playoffs eFG%, while Harden has a higher playoffs TS%.
Harden has carried the Rockets to the playoffs five times. Kyrie has never carried a team to the playoffs. Kyrie has always had LBJ's gravity to get him good looks in the playoffs. Harden had the young KD/Westbrook, but much of his playoff career has been creating his own looks and creating offense for his whole team.
I definitely do not buy Kyrie as a better scorer than Harden. Last year was the first time in his career that Kyrie exceeded 25ppg. Harden has done it 5 times in 8 seasons. Harden has the higher career eFG & TS.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BajanYankee
Curry is at risk of shooting below 40% from three for the first time in his career. He's currently shooting 37.7% from deep. This is a marked decline from his 2015-16 peak of 45.4%.
Uh huh. His November numbers would be a career year for most of the NBA (37.7% on 9.3 attempts per game). And they will rise.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BajanYankee
Say what you want about Kyrie, but he's really the only player who consistently makes a mockery of the NBA's best team defense. The boy knows how to get buckets.
He was 4/16 last night. I don't call that a "consistent" "mockery." In the Finals last year, he was 10/22 with 4 TO, 8/23 with 3 TO, 16/29 with 2 TO, 15/27 with 3 TO, and 9/22 with 4 TO. He had a couple of excellent games, and 3 pretty rough ones. Certainly not "consistent."
The Sixers already played Houston twice (and very successfully), and now playing the Warriors a 2nd time.
That's one hell of a schedule.
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