James Harden doesn’t know why he didn’t make All-NBA Team

http://nba.nbcsports.com/2016/06/04/james-harden-doesnt-know-why-he-didnt-make-all-nba-team/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs&yptr=yahoo








James Harden doesn’t know why he didn’t make All-NBA Team




By Kurt Helin


Jun 4, 2016, 9:30 AM EDT




Generally speaking, if you put up numbers 29 points, 7.5 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per game, you are going to make one of the All-NBA teams.

Not James Harden. Not this season.

And he doesn’t get it, as Harden told Jason Terry on the latter’s new show on SiriusXM NBA Radio.

“I mean, there’s no answer for me. I don’t know. That’s something that I’ve been thinking about…

“But like I said, man, you know, it wasn’t a good year.”

Harden certainly put up numbers, and the Rockets did slip into the playoffs on the final night of the season, but the team was a disappointment from opening day — remember they started 0-3 and all the losses were by at least 20 points — and Harden was a big part of that.

He didn’t show up to training camp in shape and ready, he was inconsistent, and over the course of a full season the Rockets followed that lead. Also, while Harden scored a lot, his defense slid back into atrocious old habits. Harden had improved as a defender two seasons ago — not great, but better and playing within the team concept — but that went out the window this season. All of it got Kevin McHale fired (that and Harden didn’t like him), but the slow start wasn’t on the coach. The Rockets won 15 fewer games than the season before, and Harden needs to accept the blame for a lot of that.

Which is why he didn’t make the All-NBA Teams. He came close, but he finished behind guys such as Damian Lillard and Kyle Lowry in the voting for guards, in part because their teams exceeded expectations and the Rockets did the opposite.

Maybe next season under Mike D’Antoni — and with Dwight Howard playing elsewhere — things will change for Harden next season.



bob
MY NOTE:  "Generally speaking, if you put up numbers 29 points, 7.5 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per game, you are going to make one of the All-NBA teams."  Yeah, and generally speaking, when you play no defense and give up 30+ points you don't.  He had the 6th worst +/- in the league.  Normally I'm not a fan of the +/- stat but anybody who has watched Houston Rockets basketball for the past few years will attest that he plays matador defense.  And did Kurt Helin just say that maybe Harden's defense will improve with Mike (No D) 'Antoni as the coach?


.

My thoughts on Harden and being a first team NBA player..

First, his team had a disappointing season. The guys picked ahead of him clearly did a better job of getting their teams to much better records, and to me, that is a big part of being a guard at any level of basketball.

Second, there seemed to be a lot of turmoil surrounding this guy and his center. It may have not all been his fault as there is no question that Dwight Howard is not only a prime time prima donna but is also at a point in his career where his body and skills are eroding.

Third, he plays ZERO defense on just about every single possession in every game when I see him. There is a lot to be said about being a great defensive player like Bradley, but not all players are as good as Bradley. However, not showing any effort at all on defense should never be rewarded with a first team position. He should at the very least give a decent effort on the defensive end, and for as little defense as he plays he would have to average 40+ ppg to balance out such poor defense.

Reasons why Harden didn't make an all-NBA team:

1. The defense.

2. He got his numbers at the expense of everyone else. He ran the offense to get him the best opportunities, while everyone else's job was to find a spot and be ready in case he decided to pass it. And you better make that shot, because he wants the assist.

3. He not only led the league in turnovers, he set the all-time NBA record for turnovers in a season.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/tov_season.html

4. He showed up out of shape and overweight. Instead of working to get better, his offseason was about who he was dating and what shoes he was wearing.

5. He was the leader of a team that basically fell apart basketball-wise and chemistry-wise, got the coach fired, and won 15 fewer games despite having the same roster.

6. His desire on many plays to throw his body into the defender or flail his arms in an unnatural way into the defender's arms solely with the intent to draw a foul, not to put the ball in the basket, is really annoying. The media folks who vote on all-NBA teams aren't going to give an annoying guy a break.

7. Did I mention the defense?