In his first two games in Houston, James Harden scored 37 and 45 points on 64 percent from the field, added 13 rebounds and 14 assists, and hurt even more for Oklahoma City fans who saw him leave in a surprising trade just a few months earlier in October 2012. Even They did not know why he was really capable.
In his last two games in Houston, in January 2021, when he was out of shape, overweight, and just wanted to leave - he scored 20 and 16 on 40 percent from the field, in two straight defeats for the Lakers.
In between he became one of the best players in the league, winning MVP and three basket kingdoms.
But he failed to bring the Rockets to the finals, quarreled with almost everyone who played alongside him, and on a regular basis quite messed up in the most crucial games.
So he moved to Brooklyn - where in his first two games he scored 32 and 34 on 49 percent from the field, added 18 rebounds and 26 assists, and they won twice, including Milwaukee.
Now it was the turn of Houston fans to get mad at what they had lost.
. @ LegsESPN is loving what he's seeing from Joel Embiid and James Harden in Philly 🔥 pic.twitter.com/4jelApKzJ7
- NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 28, 2022
How did his term end there?
It happened really recently, so I believe you still remember.
But just in case, we will bring here exactly the same line from the second paragraph: "Not fit, overweight, and just want to leave."
He scored 22 in the penultimate game, and only the last 4 in the Nets uniform - two games in which he hit only 27 percent from the field.
Service to the guessing public
In between he came with the Nets to the second round of the playoffs, and although this time he played well most of the time, and even overcame himself and played injured - he did not forget to give his regular finishing chord: 22 points, a respectable number, but in 5 of 17 from the field , Including 2 of 12 for three.
So he moved to Philadelphia.
And you've already grasped the pattern, right?
So even if you have not followed in the last few days, what he did there in his first two games you kind of can guess.
And here, at your service, are the numbers: 27 and 29 points, 18 rebounds, 28 assists, on 58 percent from the field.
Ambide.
Meanwhile it works well, Photo: AP
And as usual, now everyone is excited again.
of course.
How short are people's memory?
is very.
But really, when you see what Harden is capable of (especially in the regular season), it's hard not to get carried away.
And yet, we have not seen this movie yet?
Is there anyone here who wants to guess how this term will end?
And again, for the benefit of the guessing public, here's an easy service from our statistics department.
So we pulled from the archive a summer 2020 study in which we tested 16 players, all of whom we saw in color, and all of whom are ranked in the top 40 in history more or less - which is where the majority will put Arden as well.
The actors we tested are Jordan, LeBron, Magic, Larry, Duncan, Kobe, Durant, Kerry, Wade, Isaiah, Shaq, Carl Malone, Drexler, Nash, Pippin and Harden.
We looked at a simple combination of points, rebounds and assists, comparing their regular season output to their playoff output.
Course in Money Time
The results?
10 of 16 show playoff improvement.
Leads the bunch to LeBron with a 10 percent improvement.
Second comes Durant with 8 percent improvement, and third Jordan with 7 percent improvement.
Five players show no change (i.e., less than one percent change here or there).
Of the 16 tested, only one player shows a drop.
True, Harden (6 percent less playoff output).
Harden did this in just his second game for the 76ers 🤯 pic.twitter.com/W2ddvgdsYc
- SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 27, 2022
And if the fact that he's the only one of the 16 tested whose productivity drops significantly is not enough to help the guessing public predict how this season, or this term in Philly, will end - here are the anecdotes behind these general figures.
For example, Game 6 against the OCC in the first round in 2013 (7 of 22 from the field) - a relegation game.
Game 6 against the Clippers in the second round in 2015, where he scored 5 of 20 (there was also 7 of 20 in Game 7 later - together it's 12 of 40) - somehow Houston survived it.
There was also Game 5 against the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals in 2015 (2 of 11) - a relegation game.
Let's not forget the game 6 against the San Antonio Spurs in the second round in 2017 (2 of 11) - another relegation game.
Or the 6th and 7th games in the Western Conference 2018 final against the Warriors (10 of 24 and then 12 of 29 with 6 of 25 for three in both games together).
And also Game 7 in the first round of 2020, again against the OKC (4 of 15).
We have already mentioned his last playoff game in the Nets.
So yeah, things are looking great right now for Harden alongside Joel Ambed in Philly, and the words "senior contender" are thrown in frequently.
And no problem, getting excited is fun.
What have we had in life without little joys.
Just do not be surprised if Milwaukee are not too excited when they see what Arden is doing now.
Were we wrong?
Fixed!
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