Iliketurtles;1718299 wrote:LOL The 04 Cavs team were definitely not by far the worst team to ever make the finals. I'd say the 2001 76ers are close if not worse.

They are tied at best and #1 and #2 at worst. Who cares? Point still made. When James Harden can lead a team of trash anywhere beyond a first round exit then we can begin to talk about him as a top 5 player in the league. Right now, he will pull a Harden and his team will never win anything.

Commander of Awesome;1718305 wrote:lol was about to post the same thing. Both had MVPs on their team too, something to Rockets don't have.

Donyou recognize Allen Iverson as an MVP? Legitimately curious.

sleeper;1718308 wrote:They are tied at best and #1 and #2 at worst. Who cares? Point still made. When James Harden can lead a team of trash anywhere beyond a first round exit then we can begin to talk about him as a top 5 player in the league. Right now, he will pull a Harden and his team will never win anything.

Pulling a Harden = going to the finals or losing first round? Just curious because I know he has done both...

Laley23;1718309 wrote:Donyou recognize Allen Iverson as an MVP? Legitimately curious.

It was a different ERA, and wouldn't have been my vote but he was a beast that season. I think this sums it up well, "Iverson’s offensive game was one the last, best examples of a different era in NBA basketball, an era of basketball where quantity often obscured quality when it came to statistical achievements and “can get his own shot” was a bigger badge of honor than “efficient scorer.”

My vote in his year would have gone to Shaq or Timmy, but Media was too busy JOing to his pts per game, FT attempts, and his height. Some of that starting to sound familiar?

gport_tennis;1718313 wrote:Pulling a Harden = getting carried to the finals or losing first round. I know he has done both...

FIFY

Commander of Awesome;1718315 wrote:FIFY

Durant and Westbrook will never win a title or go to the finals without Harden and you can book it!!!!!!!!!!!! They are just slightly average NBA players that need carried to team success. Kendrick Perkins is much better than any of those 3 with his title and team success. WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

gport_tennis;1718313 wrote:Pulling a Harden = going to the finals or losing first round? Just curious because I know he has done both...

Losing in the first round is well known as pulling a Harden. He only went to the finals because he was carried by a legitimate super star named Kevin Durant, another super star in Westbrook, and a great piece in Ibaka. Harden was merely an after thought on the team doing what he does best, coming off the bench as a 6th man.

gport_tennis;1718318 wrote:Durant and Westbrook will never win a title or go to the finals without Harden and you can book it!!!!!!!!!!!! They are just slightly average NBA players that need carried to team success. Kendrick Perkins is much better than any of those 3 with his title and team success. WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Durant has won MVP; so even if he never wins a championship he will have accomplished more than James Harden's entire career in just one year.

sleeper;1718321 wrote:Durant has won MVP; so even if he never wins a championship he will have accomplished more than James Harden's entire career in just one year.

He will never ever win a title because he is tall and whines on the court. Plus he wasn't even the real mvp that year, his mother was. he even said so. SO he got a fake MVP and was dragged to the finals by his 6th man, Durant = overpaid and terrible at basketball. i would sign his mother as a free agent and would sign Durant to a D league waterboy contract.

gport_tennis;1718328 wrote:He will never ever win a title because he is tall and whines on the court. Plus he wasn't even the real mvp that year, his mother was. he even said so. SO he got a fake MVP and was dragged to the finals by his 6th man, Durant = overpaid and terrible at basketball. i would sign his mother as a free agent and would sign Durant to a D league waterboy contract.

You forgot to add "/sleeper'd"

gport_tennis;1718328 wrote:He will never ever win a title because he is tall and whines on the court. Plus he wasn't even the real mvp that year, his mother was. he even said so. SO he got a fake MVP and was dragged to the finals by his 6th man, Durant = overpaid and terrible at basketball. i would sign his mother as a free agent and would sign Durant to a D league waterboy contract.

Now you've got it, learning to play the game!

gport_tennis;1718328 wrote:He will never ever win a title because he is tall and whines on the court. Plus he wasn't even the real mvp that year, his mother was. he even said so. SO he got a fake MVP and was dragged to the finals by his 6th man, Durant = overpaid and terrible at basketball. i would sign his mother as a free agent and would sign Durant to a D league waterboy contract.

Durant = MVP
Harden = WannaVP

That is the reality. Harden should go join Melo in NYC so they can both accomplish nothing in the NBA together.

Commander of Awesome;1718314 wrote:It was a different ERA, and wouldn't have been my vote but he was a beast that season. I think this sums it up well, "Iverson’s offensive game was one the last, best examples of a different era in NBA basketball, an era of basketball where quantity often obscured quality when it came to statistical achievements and “can get his own shot” was a bigger badge of honor than “efficient scorer.”

My vote in his year would have gone to Shaq or Timmy, but Media was too busy JOing to his pts per game, FT attempts, and his height. Some of that starting to sound familiar?

Bill Simmons brought up an interesting thing about that era, he was talking about how the 2004 Olympics changed the game as the style foreign players were using was starting to become superior to ours

sleeper;1718350 wrote:Durant = MVP
Harden = WannaVP

That is the reality. Harden should go join Melo in NYC so they can both accomplish nothing in the NBA together.

DUranT's killerz winning percentage in NbA Finalz: .000%

LULZ LOL HAHAHAHA He is the Loseriest of all Losers of any loser of all timez. No wonders hiz momma is da real mvp.

gport_tennis;1718355 wrote:DUranT's killerz winning percentage in NbA Finalz: .000%

LULZ LOL HAHAHAHA He is the Loseriest of all Losers of any loser of all timez. No wonders hiz momma is da real mvp.

It's actually 25%...

like_that;1718357 wrote:It's actually 25%...

Numberz of finallz competed in: 1, nummber of titlez won: 0, winininning percnetage: .000% LULULULULUZ LOLOLOZLOLZOLZOLZ

BTW actual winning percentage of NBA Finals games is 20%, if you're gonna correct someone who's going full retard get it right sucka

gport_tennis;1718358 wrote:Numberz of finallz competed in: 1, nummber of titlez won: 0, winininning percnetage: .000% LULULULULUZ LOLOLOZLOLZOLZOLZ

BTW actual winning percentage of NBA Finals games is 20%, if you're gonna correct someone who's going full retard get it right sucka

You're aware this super annoying correct?

Sleeper is a known ultra-troll, and we've come to accept that, mimicking his style just to make a point, that he's clearly trolling on, makes you annoying.

However, some valid points have been made in this thread, This year is pretty much Hardens only shot at winning a championship/MVP in his career.

Dwight has been a shell of himself, since they made the finals...and it will only get worse. They are cap strapped, so won't be adding a star piece anytime soon.

OKC, with Durant healthy next year is gonna be stacked with Durant/Westbrook/Ibaka/Kanter, and should return to the upper tier.
Portland, Clips, Dubs, all have better talent/coaching, and should be better next season. So at best they are probably staring at a 5th seed.

In regards to the MVP, if he fails to win this year, he's probably gonna be locked out, as should be a 5 headed monster of legit contenders, that should see him pushed out.i

Durant
LBJ
Davis
Curry
Westbrrok

I'd put him just out of the Top 5 potential candidates going in to next season. So barring a huge statistical jump from him (Not likely, due to Howard coming back/Demanding shot), this is likely his last true shot.

Funny because the 2001 Sixers were pretty bad if you look at their overall roster, but Allen Iverson never gets near the Credit that LeBron gets forn the 2006 Cavs.

HighRoller74;1718359 wrote:You're aware this super annoying correct?

Sleeper is a known ultra-troll, and we've come to accept that, mimicking his style just to make a point, that he's clearly trolling on, makes you annoying.

However, some valid points have been made in this thread, This year is pretty much Hardens only shot at winning a championship/MVP in his career.

Dwight has been a shell of himself, since they made the finals...and it will only get worse. They are cap strapped, so won't be adding a star piece anytime soon.

OKC, with Durant healthy next year is gonna be stacked with Durant/Westbrook/Ibaka/Kanter, and should return to the upper tier.
Portland, Clips, Dubs, all have better talent/coaching, and should be better next season. So at best they are probably staring at a 5th seed.

In regards to the MVP, if he fails to win this year, he's probably gonna be locked out, as should be a 5 headed monster of legit contenders, that should see him pushed out.i

Durant
LBJ
Davis
Curry
Westbrrok

I'd put him just out of the Top 5 potential candidates going in to next season. So barring a huge statistical jump from him (Not likely, due to Howard coming back/Demanding shot), this is likely his last true shot.

Here is my claim in regards to James harden, James Harden is a legit top 3 MVP candidate THIS year. Have no idea if he will be a top 3 MVP candidate next year, but this year he is a top 3 MVP candidate.

James Harden is 25 years old, with probably a good 7-10 additional years minimum of playing in the NBA. Why are we writing him off after this year? Saying this year is the only chance for Harden to win a title for the rest of his career is just foolish. Dirk didn't win a title until he was 33 years old, why on earth would James Harden be written off at 25?

Should OKC be very good next year? Most likely, but you never know. Durant might never be the same after this foot injury (I hope he comes back 100%). Deron Williams at 1 point was debated as being better than CP3, had wrist surgery and was never the same after.

Portland and LAC all have better talent right now at this moment. Why aren't they already better than the Rockets? Will the Rockets not improve next year by getting everybody healthy? Or do we just assume that the rockets will be worse next year because James Harden is on their team and uhh well James Harden is on their team?

I think it's fair to say also that Darryl morey is a pretty good GM and I for one trust him to keep talent around Harden to be successful.

I do agree he's a Top 2 MVP canadate this year.

I listed the reasons why it'll be tougher going forward.

But yes you're right, if/when they are able to get Dwights contract off the books, its possible that they can contend for a championship.

In regards to Morey...that's debateble. He was getting openly mocked, and was on the hot seat, prior to OKC making an awful trade.

However, Dirk is most definitely the exception, not the rule when it comes to older stars leading teams to championships, To me the Iverson comparison to James Harden is a fair comparison, they play the same type of game.

Azubuike24;1718362 wrote:Funny because the 2001 Sixers were pretty bad if you look at their overall roster, but Allen Iverson never gets near the Credit that LeBron gets forn the 2006 Cavs.

The east was even shittier then vs 2006 and now.

Azubuike24;1718362 wrote:Funny because the 2001 Sixers were pretty bad if you look at their overall roster, but Allen Iverson never gets near the Credit that LeBron gets forn the 2006 Cavs.

That Sixers team had some pretty good players on it actually, a lot of good role players. They were built perfectly around Iverson.

I agree it'll be tougher for Harden to win an MVP next year.

I disagree they won't be able to contend until Dwight Howard leaves the team. If he comes back healthy and can play the full season/ playoffs next year, they will be even better than this year. If not, then they will probably be +- 5 games of where they finish this year.

like_that;1718366 wrote:The east was even shittier then vs 2006 and now.

Totally incorrect. The Pacers were the #8 seed at 41-41 while there are currently 3 teams below .500 in the playoffs in the East

Classyposter58;1718376 wrote:Totally incorrect. The Pacers were the #8 seed at 41-41 while there are currently 3 teams below .500 in the playoffs in the East

All records/stats aren't created equally. Look at the rosters of the top teams in the playoffs that year and tell me they are better than the top rosters for the east.