Written By: Cameron Schoffro
Edited By: Nabil Haider
After dropping 44-14-8 against Denver last week, James Harden was candid post-game, saying, "I am the MVP," and he's not wrong. It's about time we give James Harden his flowers while he can still smell them. Harden has been one of the most disrespected players for years; NBA fans have taken his sheer dominance for granted, and MVP voters seem to circulate false narratives to remove his name from consideration. Take last year, for instance, he scored at the highest clip of anybody in over 30 years and didn't receive a single first-place MVP vote. He is the best volume scorer since Kobe Bryant, at the very least, but more likely Michael Jordan. Even then, those greats never averaged anywhere near 11 assists per game. The only knock against him is his inability to win a championship. Finally, he took matters into his own hands and joined one of the most skilled teams of all time and is poised to make his first championship run.
It was a rocky start to the season for James Harden. In the beginning, he looked disengaged, out of shape, and generally disinterested in playing for the Houston Rockets, the team that built their entire offensive scheme around him. It seemed Harden was never going to reach the elite play of his former self until a trade unlocked newfound motivation. When Harden was finally granted his wish and joined the Brooklyn Nets, most people were skeptical of how they would mesh, and rightfully so. The Nets paired three incredibly ball-dominant players together, and somebody would inevitably need to adapt: Harden adapted. He isn't scoring as much as he did in the past, but with the talent surrounding him, he doesn't need to. Harden has focused on getting his teammates involved, playing like a point guard despite being listed as the two. As a result, Harden has led the league this season with 11.2 assists per game. No other player in the league possesses the offensive skillset of Harden. His ability to score anywhere on the court is only matched by his teammate, Kevin Durant, but it's his playmaking that sets him apart from other superstars.
Media pundits often describe Harden as selfish and a bad teammate, like this Bleacher Report headline prior to the trade, "Are We Sure the Brooklyn Nets Should Want James Harden?" This article proceeds to bash Harden for how he would mesh with the Nets roster and how he will tear the locker room apart. With Brooklyn however, he has proved the doubters wrong. His teammates have only had good things to say about him, and he's helped propel Kyrie Irving to the most efficient scoring season of his career. All the while, the Nets are playing their absolute best right now.
Criticisms of Harden are typically due to his play style. Some find it boring since he exploits the rule book by drawing cheap fouls and hoisting up step-back three-pointers, but the greatest players always find ways to innovate the sport. Meanwhile, Steph Curry receives praise for similar behaviours. Another lazy criticism is his lacklustre defensive effort, but he's actually an above-average defender. Harden has been one of the league leaders in steals per game for his entire career, but that's only a small aspect of a player's defensive impact. He excels when using his large frame in the post in mismatches, as he often had to when he was a part of the Rockets small-ball lineup. Sure, when he was busy running the entire Houston offence, he took the occasional play off on defence and ended up on House of Highlights for it. Casual viewers may develop their entire perception of a player based on a select few highlights, but the reality is he is an incredibly underrated defender.
Unfortunately, injuries have affected the MVP race this year. Joel Embiid was leading the 76ers to an impressive record, validating the superstardom that we've been waiting for, but suffered a bone bruise that may hurt his campaign. Also, Lebron James will be sidelined for several weeks, but let's be honest: Lebron was receiving undeserved MVP buzz because he was snubbed last year and is the reigning Finals MVP, not due to his play this year. Lebron is in the midst of the worst season since he was 19, and Harden leads him in every major stat, but the writers were pushing the narrative in Lebron's favour.
If James Harden finally wins his first NBA Championship this summer, he'll fill the most significant gap on his resumé, and his doubters will have to acknowledge he's one of the best in this stacked generation of NBA players.
References
- Favale, D. (2020, December 23). Are We Sure the Brooklyn Nets Should Want James Harden? Bleacher Report. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2923745-are-we-sure-the-brooklyn-nets-should-want-james-harden.
- James Harden Stats. Basketball Reference. (n.d.). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hardeja01.html.
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