FALSE NARRATIVE
How the numbers tell a different story about James Harden in the playoffs
Aug 31, 2020, 4:09 pm
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Strong opinions usually follow the mentioning of James Harden's name. He's one of those athletes that fans seem to either love or hate, with no in between. Due to the emotion the name brings in sports debate, hyperbole can flow fluidly. In the age of social media, opinions from random fans who run social media or blog sites, podcasts, etc, can create a narrative that attach to athletes like the scarlet letter on Hester Prynne. Once branded, ye must wear hence forth, never to shed, past shame.
Whether in the media or a fan of the game, we can all be prideful to our opinions. We draw a line in the sand and never cross it...until "he / she" wins a title and the player is then purified of their sins.
There's many scarlet letters that adorn Harden as he enters the arena, nightly. Some of the most repeated are:
- "Playoff choker"
- "Shoots too many free throws"
- "Shoots too many shots"
- "Has too many turnovers"
- "Doesn't play defense"
I wanted to look at the top 10 scorers in these playoffs and compare Harden to his peers, to see if these knocks on him still held up in 2020. Below are the top 10 scorers in the 2020 playoffs and where James Harden ranks among these elite players in each category: (per game)
| PLAYER'S NAME | Pts | FGAs / TS% | FTAs / FT % | Rebs | Assists | Steals | Turnovers |
| Donovan Mitchell | 37.6 | 22.5 / 72.7% | 9.3 / 94.6% | 4.3 | 5.5 | 1.2 | 3.3 |
| Jamal Murray | 34.0 | 21.7 / 72.8% | 3.8 / 91.3% | 6.2 | 6.7 | 0.5 | 2.0 |
| Kawhi Leonard | 32.8 | 21.7 / 63.9% | 9.2 / 85.5% | 10.2 | 5.2 | 2.3 | 2.5 |
| James Harden | 31.8 | 21.0 / 64.2% | 8.6 / 83.7% | 6.6 | 8.0 | 1.8 | 2.6 |
| Luka Doncic | 31.0 | 21.3 / 59.6% | 10.7 / 65.6% | 9.8 | 8.7 | 1.2 | 5.2 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 30.6 | 20.0 / 65.1% | 8.0 / 62.5% | 16.0 | 6.0 | 0.6 | 3.8 |
| Joel Embiid | 30.0 | 18.5 / 60.0% | 14.8 / 81.4% | 12.3 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 3.8 |
| Anthony Davis | 29.8 | 17.8 / 65.6% | 11.2 / 71.4% | 9.4 | 4.2 | 1.4 | 1.2 |
| Nikola Vucevic | 28.0 | 22.2 / 60.4% | 2.2 / 90.9% | 11.0 | 4.0 | 0.8 | 2.6 |
| LeBron James | 27.4 | 16.0 / 70.8% | 7.6 / 73.7% | 10.2 | 10.2 | 1.2 | 5.0 |
These are some of the most elite players in the game, all playing with the same variables. It's early in these playoffs, but to this point, Harden has given his team a 3-2 series lead, even though, Russell Westbrook missed the first four games of the playoffs, before returning in game five and seeing 24 minutes of action.
Harden's overall ranking among the top playoff scorers (above), so far:
- 31.8 points (4th)
- 21.0 field goal attempts (6th)
- 8.6 free throw attempts (6th)
- 6.6 rebounds (8th)
- 8.0 assists (3rd)
- 1.8 steals (2nd)
- 2.6 turnovers (T-4th)
The Oklahoma City Thunder / Chris Paul series is a test for James Harden. Fair or not, Harden won't get a pass from his detractors if Houston goes on to lose the series, despite the Westbrook injury. If he and the Rockets move on, Harden, I believe, can win over some critics with his showing in "Brody and The Beard take on The BrowKing" (work in progress, apologies).
That chapter has yet to be written as Harden and Westbrook, still have to closeout a talented Thunder team. The book on Harden is fantastic, whether fan or foe or some point in between. I don't know how this chapter or the next ends, but as far as the narratives, to this point, they fall flat. We'll see if he arrives to the King's court and takes the throne or if he plays jester. Maybe the slaying of the King wins over the detractors. For others it may take victory over two kings, LeBron James and the reigning, King of the North, Kawhi Leonard with his new army.
And for others, two thrones will not be enough, as kingdom's fall to the power of the ring ..."my precious." Even with multiple kingdom's in the west, many won't respect Harden among the elite until he takes the reins over the nation with victory over the east following the conquering of the west. Then and only then, will he be forgiven and shed his final, scarlet letter.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
What were the takeaways from the Texans-Panthers preseason game?
We’re getting close to cuts, so the stakes are high with one last chance to make a lasting impression in the final preseason game. In the Texans’ win over Carolina, the biggest takeaway was the offensive line and running game — they looked good. Pass protection held up, and C.J. Stroud put together a nice touchdown drive capped off with a fourth-down throw to Nico Collins. Both rookies Jayden Higgins and Jalen Noel caught passes, and Nick Chubb looked sharp running with the starters.
How did the O-line look?
The line already looks much improved from last season. Pass protection was solid, run blocking was effective, and they were able to grind out yards while giving Stroud a clean pocket. Rookie Aireontae Ersery continues to impress, and there’s a real chance he ends up as the starting left tackle over big ticket free agent Cam Robinson. Robinson is back at practice, but Ersery has looked good with the first unit — and he was drafted to take Laremy Tunsil’s spot anyway, so why not speed up the process?
In practice the starters have been LT Ersery, LG Laken Tomlinson, C Jake Andrews, RG Ed Ingram, and RT Tytus Howard. If Robinson slides back to left tackle, Ersery could move to right tackle with Howard shifting inside to guard. It’ll be interesting to see what combo the Texans roll out against the Rams in Week 1.
Did the running backs impress?
Chubb looked good behind the line, finishing with 5 carries for 25 yards and a reception. He seemed comfortable in the scheme and showed some burst — it’s obvious he knows what he’s doing. If Joe Mixon isn’t ready for the start of the season, Houston should be in good hands with Chubb.
Damien Pierce is still out, which has given rookie Woody Marks more opportunity. He made the most of it with 40 yards on 7 carries against Carolina. He’s also shown he can help on third down with his ability in the passing game, which could earn him a real role.
How did the receivers look?
Rookie receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel both caught passes. Nico Collins, Christian Kirk, and Justin Watson each added a couple of grabs too. Based on last year, Stroud tends to funnel targets to his top two options. A season ago it was Collins and Stefon Diggs before injuries hit. This year, Kirk looks capable of filling that Diggs role out of the slot. He just fits.
Reaction to the John Metchie–Harrison Bryant trade
The Texans needed more tight end depth with Brevin Jordan hurt, and Metchie wasn’t going to make the team. Bryant gives them another option, and it looks like tight ends may play a bigger role in the offense after Irv Smith Jr. led the team in catches and yards against Carolina.
Special teams also factored in. Metchie doesn’t play there, while Braxton Berrios and Justin Watson do, which gives the Texans more flexibility. Collins, Kirk, Higgins, Noel, and Hutchinson all look like locks at receiver, so moving Metchie made sense. It will be interesting to see who the final pieces will be in the Texans receiver room. Will they keep Watson and/or Berrios? We'll find out on Tuesday when the final cuts are made. Stay tuned!
What to watch for against the Lions
It’s all about the offense at this point. The defense is expected to be elite, so the spotlight shifts to Stroud and the rest of the unit. If the offensive line holds up against Detroit and the operation looks sharp, the Texans should be well-positioned to open the regular season on the right foot.
There's so much more to break down! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The NFL season is almost upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Texans on Tap podcast, which drops each Thursday during the preseason! More episodes will ramp up when the regular season begins! We'll go live on YouTube after every regular-season game.
___________________________
*ChatGPT assisted.
Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!