• James Harden has been a more efficient and overall better statistical performer in playoff elimination games than Kobe Bryant
• Bryant won five championships while Harden has won none
• Harden is notoriously referred to as a playoff choker
James Harden is one of this generation’s greatest players, even if his playoff success doesn’t match well with other players who are considered greats. Kobe Bryant, for example, is the second-greatest shooting guard ever behind Michael Jordan. Harden and Bryant aren’t considered to be on the same level, but their playoff elimination statistics tell a different story.
Over the course of 19 elimination games, Kobe Bryant averaged 22.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.6 blocks, and 1.2 steals. He scored on 41.4% efficiency from the field, shooting threes at 28.1% efficiency on 4.7 attempts per game.
James Harden, on the other hand, has played in 23 elimination games and averaged 22.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 0.7 blocks, and 2.3 steals. He scored on 42.1% efficiency from the field, shooting threes at 32.6% efficiency on 7.7 attempts per game.
The numbers would say Harden has performed better, but Kobe has a record of 9-10 in elimination games. Even though that’s below .500, it’s still better than Harden’s record of 9-14. Let’s examine why these differences exist.
Do Statistics Tell The Full Tale?
Even though Harden has better numbers than Kobe, contextualizing is important. Harden had a much larger role within his team’s offense over the course of his career due to his ability as a playmaker. Kobe made up for it with consistent perimeter defense. Harden has better steals stats but Kobe was a constant threat with perimeter pressure, even if it didn’t always result in a steal.
Kobe was playing next to Shaquille O’Neal during his prime as arguably the greatest basketball player to live. Shaq would often be relied upon in many of these elimination games ahead of Kobe. Bryant’s efficiency numbers have never been elite in his career, so these follow a similar path. The Lakers also didn’t end up playing many games with their season on the line during their prime, nearly sweeping the entire playoffs in their 2001 titles run.
James Harden has had his fair share of co-stars over the course of his career, including Kobe’s old running mate, Dwight Howard. Outside of his young years with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Harden has been the primary focus for his playoff teams. The Rockets built one of the most single-star-oriented teams in NBA history to maximize Harden’s production, which often faltered in a playoff setup.
Why The Difference In Championships?
Harden had teams built around him and couldn’t deliver. It’s hard to look at his career and say he didn’t have enough help. It’s unfortunate that his prime years coincided with the buzzsaw Golden State Warriors that eliminated him in the playoffs regularly. Outside of that, Harden’s had some big playoff misfortunes on the Nets and 76ers.
Kobe’s numbers are muted because of his early career with the Lakers where he wasn’t playing heavy minutes. With Kobe being the secondary option behind Shaq, his numbers were still suppressed. Kobe did genuinely falter in elimination games, such as in 2004, but he still wasn’t the sole option.
In close-out games against the likes of the Celtics in the NBA Finals, Kobe delivered and single-handedly brought more titles to LA, so that legacy will speak larger than any numbers would. If Harden can bring a banner to the 76ers or whichever team he’s traded to, his legacy will also transform drastically.
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