Two years ago was Steph Curry’s breakout year. He won the MVP and received 100 first place votes, but in second place was James Harden with 25 first place votes, ahead of LeBron James. Harden’s 2014-15 season was a memorable one, he scored 27.4 points per game shooting 44% from the field and shot 37.5% from three. He carried the Rockets to a record of 56-26 and was rewarded with the first ever NBPA MVP award, an award voted on by the players.
But the respect for Harden this season disappeared from fans and media. Harden scored 29 points per game this year, he shot less effectively but it was still a great season. Unfortunately for Harden he wasn’t rewarded this year and former teammate Kevin Durant took notice.
From the Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen:
“Nobody really appreciates what he does except for the players in our league,” Durant said. “Everybody on the outside doesn’t really appreciate what he brings. Anybody that can put up 29 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and not make the All-NBA team, that’s like a sin to even think about not putting a guy like that on the All-NBA team.
“As a player and someone that played with him and a fan of the game I was (angry) because somebody is right here in front of you and you can’t appreciate him. If he were to retire tomorrow, we would have so many stories and videos about how great he is, but he’s here right now doing it. Appreciate what he brings.”
Harden finished ninth this year in the MVP voting and didn’t make an All-NBA Team this year (as Durant points out above). LeBron James receives the most hate on social media but James Harden might be right behind him. Harden has become a Vine superstar because of his defensive effort and this has influenced the perception around Harden.
Harden certainly dogs it on defense but he also played all 82 games this year and 81 games last year. Harden averaged 38.1 minutes this year which led the league, which in my book means he’s allowed to take plays off on defense.
The Rockets defense probably won’t be much better with Mike D’Antoni taking over as the coach but Harden is ready to play defense this year.
