Not impressed with Harden today

[Betts]

I remember him looking good when they played Arizona, but he was not a difference maker in the second half today (didn't watch the first half).

[ThunderCover]

No kidding, Betts. I watched the whole game and he did nothing to impress me. It was hard to imagine him being the projected #2 pick. He didn't even look like the best player in the game or even his own team for that matter.

I know it was just one game but he looked very average. I wouldn't trade Thabo or Kyle for him.

[Rod4soonrs]

he had a off game, after all he was the pac 10 player of the year, just shows how light the draft is this yr.

[rednuhT]

James Anderson > James Harden

[BETCATS]

Chill, its one game.

If one anything detirmed what somebody really is, Jerome James would be a dominate center and J-Kwon would be called the greatest rapper alive.

1 hit wonders and 1 miss blunders should not be confused. EVERYBODY HAS OFF DAYS. Harden is gonna be really really good.

[Betts]

Oh, I'm sure this was not necessarily representative of his capability, but it certainly got my attention. As I said, he looked a lot better against Arizona. But, we've not seen the Pac-10 do anything in the tournament, so I started wondering about the level of competition he's faced. In the end, however, I trust Presti and he's not asking my opinion (although I told him I was putting in a shameless plug for Scott Brooks to get a contract this spring and he said, "All in good time". Hopefully that was a positive statement). To get things further off track, I wanted to say that Jonny Flynn reminded me SO much of Russell Westbrook today.

[Trueblood]

It was just one game and Harden is better than what he showed but still, I never liked him as a fit with this team even when the Thunder needed a 2 guard. Thabo is a much better fit for this team, if not a better overall player than Harden in the long run.

I'm staying on the Thabeet bandwagon.

[Betts]

It was just one game and Harden is better than what he showed but still, I never liked him as a fit with this team even when the Thunder needed a 2 guard. Thabo is a much better fit for this team, if not a better overall player than Harden in the long run.

I'm staying on the Thabeet bandwagon.

I'm not even sure what I think of Thabeet. I'll have more of an opinion as the tournament progresses, because I saw him play two mediocre games during the regular season. Again, it's nice if you can watch someone play every game, as it's hard to tell anything (although easy to form an opinion:)) just watching a few games.

[DAK!]

Yeah, Harden had a rough game. It was obvious that Syracuse's game plan was to completely disrupt anything that Harden does and they did a great job at it. Harden naturally defers his game to teammates and tries to get everybody involved. He scores in the natural flow of the game. They were talking about him in the pregame saying that he scores 20 a game and only shoots 13 times a game which is unheard of. They were talking about how efficient he is and doesn't come off as the typical superstar because he doesn't take as many shots as most guys who score as much as he does.

Today Syracuse took away his high post game by double and sometimes triple teaming him. He kept passing it out and his teammates were wide open on several shots. There's only so much a single player can do when a team decides to take you out of the game. If you watched the entire game and paid attention to what he was doing you could see that there were other things he was doing. He made a handful of clever defensive play coming up with key steal keeping them in the game for awhile. He made some good passes to open teammates and rebounded in traffic among the big guys. He finished the game with 6 boards and 5 assists, which were both team highs, so it's not only the scoring that he's known for. His biggest problem is he's so smooth with everything that no matter how good he does he looks like he's doing nothing. I watched him torch my UW team during the regular season and it looked like he was just floating around. At the end of the game he had 24 pts, 9 boards, and 4 assists. It just comes out of nowhere.

In the end I'm of the same opinion that I don't think he's a perfect fit for our team, especially now that we have our defensive minded 2-guards, but I think he's going to make a great pro. The Brandon Roy comparison started last season when he won the Pac-10 Freshman of the year award over *******, Mayo, and Love because every part of his game he does really well.

[Trueblood]

I'm not even sure what I think of Thabeet. I'll have more of an opinion as the tournament progresses, because I saw him play two mediocre games during the regular season. Again, it's nice if you can watch someone play every game, as it's hard to tell anything (although easy to form an opinion:)) just watching a few games.

Good observations on Thabeet. In fact, he rarely impresses me when I casually watch the games. To really get an appreciation for what he does, you have to compare how many easy buckets are scored when he's not in the game as opposed to when he is.

The Thunder has a great defensive backcourt and 2 forwards who can light up the scoreboard. IMO, A defensive game changer in the middle would be the perfect compliment on the frontline.

[Starksfan311]

I'm not even sure what I think of Thabeet. I'll have more of an opinion as the tournament progresses, because I saw him play two mediocre games during the regular season. Again, it's nice if you can watch someone play every game, as it's hard to tell anything (although easy to form an opinion:)) just watching a few games.


That's why many of NBA front office people don't put much stock into the NCAA tourney or avoid watching any of the games altogether. Sam Presti avoids watching the tournament. Individual or 2 on 2 pre-draft workouts matter more at this point plus personality and IQ tests. The real scouting starts April 7th when teams can start bringing players in for workouts and testing.

[Wompus Cat]

I remember him looking good when they played Arizona, but he was not a difference maker in the second half today (didn't watch the first half).

Ive watched him in three games this year. I agree with Betts... not impressed.

[Starksfan311]

I'm impressed with Hardens skills and talent. And his ability to overcome his lack of athleticism on the college level. But I think the odds are pretty slim that he'll be able to overcome his lack of athleticism on the next level.

When teams get him in for individual workouts and measurements he's going to slide down the draft board.

[DAK!]

Kinda like Brandon Roy did?

[Starksfan311]

Kinda like Brandon Roy did?


Roy slipped in the draft because he had a lot of knee problems in college and had a couple knee surgeries before college.

[DAK!]

I wouldn't really call being drafted 6th slipping...that's roughly where he was projected to go.

Here's something for you then I'm done because I don't really want Harden on the team anyway so what's the point in arguing.

"15. Kevin Durant
What he did well: Showing off his long arms (7’5’’ wingspan and 9’2’’ standing reach) was about the only positive Kevin Durant can take from this combine.
What he struggled with: Durant couldn’t muster ONE rep of 185 lbs. Despite being known for his athleticism, his vertical leap of 33’’ ousted only Josh McRoberts and Spencer Hawes. His speed and agility also were put into question when he turned in the fourth-worst sprint time (3.45) and the last place lane drill time (12.33). Lucky for Durant, basketball is played on the court, not in the weight room. As poor as he performed, it shouldn’t affect his draft status as the second overall pick."

http://nbadraft2007.blogspot.com/2007/06/nba-combine-review.html

[RicanThunder]

"15. Kevin Durant
What he did well: Showing off his long arms (7’5’’ wingspan and 9’2’’ standing reach) was about the only positive Kevin Durant can take from this combine.
What he struggled with: Durant couldn’t muster ONE rep of 185 lbs. Despite being known for his athleticism, his vertical leap of 33’’ ousted only Josh McRoberts and Spencer Hawes. His speed and agility also were put into question when he turned in the fourth-worst sprint time (3.45) and the last place lane drill time (12.33). Lucky for Durant, basketball is played on the court, not in the weight room. As poor as he performed, it shouldn’t affect his draft status as the second overall pick."

http://nbadraft2007.blogspot.com/2007/06/nba-combine-review.html


Wow! That is hilarious. What the combine couldn't measure is the heart of a champ with ice water in his veins. Regardless of the combine, everybody saw how he played in his one year of collegiate ball. I need someone who can play, not someone who can run thru 5 cones in a free throw lane.

[KD 4 MVP]

I've watched Thabeet play around ten times and he is a defensive force but he also gives up a lot of easy dunks and putbacks because he leaves to try and block everything and his man gets the rebound alot. He also seems to get outmuscled alot even at the college level. IMO he is basically a less talented version of Oden with more size.

[Lebron>God]

the thing that bothers me about harden is his lack of explosion.

[RicanThunder]

the thing that bothers me about harden is his lack of explosion.

If I were to compare this guy with anyone in the NBA, it would be Mitch Richmond.

[Durantula]

If I were to compare this guy with anyone in the NBA, it would be Mitch Richmond.

Yeah, I posted that he was a Michael Redd/Mitch Richmond hybrid a few weeks ago. I also think that Brandon Roy is a good comparison.

Like Richmond and Roy, Harden doesn't have great athleticism and isn't great at many particular things. However, he is a complete player and is very good at most aspects of the game. He's an excellent defender, good scorer with deep range, good passer, decent rebounder, and hard worker.

I would be more than happy if we landed him in the draft.

[DwightSchrute]

Regardless of whether or not Harden is the answer, no one seems especially concerned that we don't have a single guard who can shoot. Things would open even more for Durant if other teams actually had to respect our guards' outside shooting.

[bbingham05]

Regardless of whether or not Harden is the answer, no one seems especially concerned that we don't have a single guard who can shoot. Things would open even more for Durant if other teams actually had to respect our guards' outside shooting.

This is the #1 reason why Rose played better than Westbrook the other night.

Rose would drive and stop and shoot jumpers around the free throw line

Westbrook would drive to the basket out of control and hope for a foul.

[ThunderCover]

Any way you look at it, Harden didn't do himself any favors in this tourney...


Stocks That Tumbled: With the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament in the books and the Sweet 16 now on deck, there were notable college players who's NBA stock may have taken a noticeable hit because of how they handled the pressure of the big stage:

James Harden – 6'5 – Arizona State: Against Syracuse, Harden was 2 for 10 from the field and 0 for 5 from three point range and looked terrible with the basketball. In the opener versus Temple, Harden was 1-8 from the field and 1 for 1 from three point range, and clearly intimidated by his surroundings. Harden was considered a can't miss pro prospect coming into the tournament, and one of the players with the least to prove, however falling flat on his face in the tournament, and really looking like the least athletic guy on the floor, Harden might want to seriously consider a junior year at Arizona State, and a summer with a serious NBA trainer. Given the dearth of talent in this class, Harden is still likely a top 20 pick, but his hold on the #3 spot in the class is in serious doubt today.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=12020

[okcnba]

Good players who play the 1,2, and 5 spot who hurt their draft stock in the tourney only helps the Thunder as we climb the standings and give up ping pong balls.

[DAK!]

It's kind of funny that there are so many publications talking about how much stock goes into these tourny games and then others that say they don't mean as much as the regular season because there are too many unknown variables. Just like anything else in life one man's trash is another man's treasure.