James Harden was asked about the evolution of his playing style and adapting to an ever-changing NBA. Harden gave a bold response, noting that rather than him adapting to the league, the league actually has to adapt to him as a player, showing great confidence and belief in himself ahead of the new NBA season.
“I’m one of the people that the NBA had to adjust to. Just being here, being crafty, working on it.”
Despite no longer being the perennial MVP candidate he was just a few years ago, Harden still has the utmost confidence in himself and his abilities, given how he answered the question, which could either be a positive sign or a negative sign for the Clippers heading into the new season.
Harden isn’t wrong when he says that the NBA had to adapt to him. Many believe Harden to be one of the greatest scorers in the history of the NBA. He put up some of the most ridiculous and unbelievable stat lines during his career and made his mark on the league with his style and level of play.
Harden won the 2018 MVP because of his incredible performance, averaging 30.4 points, 8.8 assists, and 5.4 rebounds. His scoring was so great that Mike D’Antoni, his coach on the Rockets, adapted his six-seconds-or-less offensive style to better suit Harden’s volume scoring.
However, the NBA did somewhat adapt to Harden, but not in the way one might think. In 2021, the NBA implemented some rules to curb foul baiting, something Harden had long been suspected of doing, by declaring that intentional contact made on the offensive player’s part during the shooting movement wouldn’t be considered a foul.
This impacted Harden’s scoring numbers greatly. He was averaging 24.6 points, 10.8 assists, and 7.9 rebounds with the Nets the year before the rule was implemented. And after the rule was put in place, his scoring numbers have consistently dropped year over year, and he has taken on more of a playmaker role.
Last season was Harden’s lowest-scoring average, as he put up 16.6 points, 8.5 assists, and 5.1 rebounds. Considering how he had to share the ball with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, those scoring numbers make sense. But it does indicate his scoring drop-off in the last few years.
James Harden’s Last Chance At A Ring
James Harden was also asked about the struggles he has faced in his goal to win a championship, to which he responded that a lot of the talk surrounding him places blame on his shoulders, rather than the sacrifices he has made on and off the court. He then explained why winning a championship in the NBA is so difficult.
“Last four years, what people don’t talk about is (me) sacrificing minutes, sacrificing the load, sacrificing all this to win a championship. Winning a championship is hard. It’s very difficult. You have to be very, very talented, you have to stay healthy, and everything has to come into place. It’s very difficult. In my career, I don’t have any regrets, I’m happy that I’m here. I get to hoop and have fun and be a leader.”
This upcoming season might be James Harden’s final opportunity to win an NBA championship. He missed out on a championship with every franchise he has been a part of, despite at one point being considered a favorite to win the title. Even with the departure of Paul George from the Clippers, they are still a team looking to win a title.
The Clippers still have one of the NBA’s best two-way players in Kawhi Leonard, although his injury troubles seem to have returned ahead of the new season. And while James Harden isn’t the explosive scorer he once was, he can still put up monstrous numbers whenever he is on the court.
It will be up to head coach Ty Lue to get the best out of this roster next season, and somehow make a run in the playoffs. If not, considering his age and his declining numbers, this could be the final missed opportunity for James Harden to win an NBA championship.
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