::::NBA:::: 2016-2017-2018 Season

So how do you feel Harden would have fared against the circa 1990 Bad Boys Pistons?

 

harden plays the brand of basketball that is accepted nowadays. the league enables him and others and they take advantage of it. i think if he were around in the 90s playing against the pistons he would have been a very good player in the league. he is strong and talented.

 

Harden WOULDN'T Have the Ball Near as Much AND he Wouldn't Visit the Line as Often, Either...He'd STILL Be a Good Player, but More in the 15-20ppg Range, as Opposed to the 25-30ppg Range...

He'd Drive to the Hole CONSIDERABLY LESS, as Well...




REED:mj:

 

Harden, of ALL People, Labeling the Mavs "Disrespectful" and "Unprofessional" is a Fucking JOKE...It's as if the Motherfucker HASN'T Seen his "Defensive" Highlights from Last Season...

THAT Shit was Straight Up "Disrespectful" and "Unprofessional"....





REED:mj:

 

If he tried playing the way he does now? He'd be curled up in a fetal position 90% of the game, getting laughed out of the arena by Laimbeer, Mahorn, Rodman and company. He'd have 12 turnovers a game if he handled the ball as much as he does now.

If he came up in that era, he'd have adjusted but not be nearly as impactful a player. A poor man's Mark Aguirre or Adrian Dantley. A star, but never, ever in the discussion for MVP as he is now.

 

I agree

 

Aguirre and dantley were both prolific scorers. That's high praise for harden

 

Like I said. Poor mans version. ::

 

Actually, I'll DISAGREE and give Harden more credit than that.

He's scoring more than 15 PPG in any era. I despise Harden, but you're right, he's an extremely talented scorer. Too talented a scorer to be held to only 15 PPG, regardless of the era. He also possesses better handles than most the wings of that era. This is especially true if he's playing in the run and gun west. Less talented players than Harden were able to put better than 20 PPG.

I think he'd adjust and still be a 25 PPG scorer. His precious efficiency wouldn't be as high though. And no, he's not winning any MVP's in an era where Magic, Jordan, Bird, Barkley, Hakeem, Malone, ect.. were all in their primes.

But he'd still be an all star and a top 5 SG. Obviously, Jordan would be head and shoulders above him and I also think Clyde Drexler was better than Harden.

 

it helps harden that guys cant touch him at all

 

It does, but I believe elite offensive talents can get theirs in any era.... maybe not to the same degree, but Harden and Westbrook aren't gonna be scrubs if you put them in 1990.

Some top players from that era would be even better today.

On that comes to mind is Kevin Johnson. Pre-injuries, KJ would be arguably the best guard in the league right now. When he was healthy guys couldn't stop him WITH hand checking. Imagine if they couldn't touch him.

 

Neil...

Consider this.... Chris Mullin had a few seasons in the late 80s/early 90s where he put up 25-26 ppg.

Harden's a helluva lot better than Mullin ever was. Especially in terms of shot creation and handles.

The bearded diva would still score 25 ppg back then.

 

Mullin has a pure shooter. Harden would do well in any Era and put up 20, maybe more depending on the team and system

 

Mullin was a damn good scorer in general. He'd be a damn good scorer today as well. He was a better pure shooter than Harden, but Harden was better at everything else.

 

You're Completely Disregarding the PHYSICALITY of the Way the Game Used to Be Played, Coupled w/the FACT James Harden BENEFITS from More Phantom/Touch Fouls than ANY Current Player...

Based on This ALONE, You Can Shave a Good 8-10ppg Off his Current Production, Which Puts Him in the 15-20ppg Range, that REED Noted...No Way in Hell Does James Harden AVERAGE 25ppg in the Late 80's-Early 90's...





REED:nono:

 

Indeed...

It Helps Steph Too and GREATLY Enhanced Steve Nash's "MVP" Years...You'd NEVER See Harden Driving to the Hole, and You'd RARELY See Him @ the Free Throw Line, if he Played in the Late 80's-Early 90's...





REED:hammert:

 

Mullin was a LIGHTS OUT Shooter and he was BIGGER/HEAVIER than Harden...

No Way in Hell Does Harden AVERAGE 25ppg Back Then...Shit, Jordan "Only" Averaged 30...He's a LOT More than 5ppg Better than James Harden, in that Era...




REED:mut:

 

Depending on which year you're referring to, Mike was actually averaging a helluva lot more than 30, and doing it on insane efficiency. I believe it was 87 when he averaged 37 a game, and the following year 35 a game. This isn't a Mike vs Harden debate. Mike was on a different planet than Harden and no one will suggest otherwise.

But Harden was a better player/scorer than Mullin and suggesting otherwise is kinda romanticizing EVERY player from that era.

Harden's level of play the last three years is higher than any Mullin seasons. And I hate the bearded prick.

Harden could definitely put up 25 a game. Not EVERY team was playing the type of defense as the Pistons.

In the high octane western conference of that era, Harden would score. He wouldn't turn into a scrub.

 

Steve Nash's MVP years were enhanced by Mike D'Antoni's offensive system.

It's quite convenient that you left your boy Russ off the list, because the rule changes certainly helped him as well. It's what they were designed to do. Help perimeter players in any effort to make the game more high scoring and exciting.

 

The only thing Harden ever did better then Mullin, was turn the ball over. :nono:

 

Please Explain HOW???...

Again, Harden WOULDN'T Look to Penetrate Nearly as Much, Due to the HEAVY Toll he'd Have to Pay...EVERY Team Had Enforcers POLICING the Paint Back Then...Laimbeer, Mahorn, Oakley, Mason, Barkley, Xavier McDaniel, the List Goes On and On...

Not to Mention Hand Checking was LEGAL...

The ONLY Reason Harden Averages what he Does Now is Because of the Amount of Free Throws he BAITS the Refs Into AND the Lack of Physicality in Today's Game...Harden's a VERY Good Player, Which is Why REED Begrudgingly ADMITS he'd Be Good for 15-20 EVERY Night, in ANY Era...

But 25ppg AIN'T Happening...





REED:nono:

 

...AND the Lack of Physicality in Today's Game...

REED Left Westbrook Off Because he's THE Most Athletic PG to Ever Play the Game...His Ability to BLOW By People and ELEVATE in Traffic Would Still Be There...Granted, Westbrook WOULDN'T Be a 30ppg Scorer Like he Is Today, but he'd Be GOOD for 22-25 in ANY Era...






REED:hammert:

 

Westbrook is a throwback, physical player. He'd excel in any era. They won't want him shooting as much as he does, but the lack of emphasis on the 3 point shot would be to his advantage.

 

Westbrook ain't winning a ring in any Era as the main guy

 

Probably not, but you can say that for just about any PG from any era. "The Main Guy". I don't think Oscar Robertson ever came close to getting a ring. Even somebody like Magic, had a pretty incredible cast with him.

 

Correction, Oscar won in '71 with a guy named Kareem on the roster. Magic is familiar with him.

 

Johnson was the main guy on the Lakers championships, most think Thomas was for Detroit. James is basically a point guard

 

Yeah, that was Kareem's Team. Oscar was Robin, Kareem was Batman...





REED:hammert:

 

Lebron ain't no point guard.

He's a point forward, and definitely the best point forward to ever do it.

In any case, even though people are shitting on him left and right... Curry as a PG was the main guy on a championship team two years ago.

 

Point guard point forward whatever the fuck u wanna call it. He's the main guy facilitating the offense just like Johnson was for the Lakers