A 2019 statement about James Harden from Los Angeles Lakers legend Coby Bryant has proven right once again.
The Los Angeles Clippers have failed to close the opening round series against the Denver Nuggets.
In particular, James Harden received a lot of flack from fans, despite the overall overwhelming performance by the franchise.
After all, the beard finished the night with just 7 points and 5 rebounds. He also had 13 assists, but they were hidden by two-half shooting from his field.
When it comes to the discussion of the greatest shooting guards of all time, many believe Harden is there alongside the likes of Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant.
Because of its value, Harden is an incredible regular season scorer and an elite performer. Unfortunately, Harden has struggled in the playoffs throughout his career.
With that in mind, it’s Bryant who talks about why Harden’s playing style never leads to basketball, which won the championship in 2019.
“I don’t think that style is going to win a championship in terms of winning a championship,” Bryant said in the Jump.
“But at the same time, you have to keep your team’s heads on the water to win the game, so you have to do what you have to do to win the game.
“If you take one player with you, you’re always in front of the defense if you’re on the top of the key, on the wing, or running a screenroll,” Kobe added.
So what happens if this happens?
“Defensiveness can be important, especially in the playoffs, and that’s easy to defend,” explained Bryant.
There is no doubt that Harden’s brand of basketball has abandoned him when it matters most. After all, there is a reason he lost Game 7 in four different franchises in his career.
But does that go away from what he accomplished? Even Bryant didn’t go that far.
“But what he’s doing is absolutely amazing, because people are trying to minimize what he’s doing, because he’s doing amazing things,” concluded Bryant.
After all, Harden is on the road to descend as one of the best individual players the league has ever seen. But as far as he plays winning basketball, Harden hasn’t cracked that code yet.