He just might be the best player in the NBA. His game is has been called unorthodox, undisciplined, and flat out ugly. Many fans still identify him by his appearance, and signature facial hair, more than his stats or accomplishments. After coming up 2nd to Golden State’s Stephen Curry in last season MVP voting, James Harden still has a chip on his shoulder … and still thinks he’s the best player in the NBA.
As the 2015-16 regular season is close to tipping off, Harden is still thinking about last season. He’s thinking about his dismal performance in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals when the Golden State Warriors sent his Houston Rockets home for the year. He’s thinking about an MVP award he didn’t win, but feels like he deserved. He’s thinking about what more he can do this coming season to take himself and his team to that next level.
“Every time you lose, anytime you’re not winning, you’re blamed. It’s a tough position to be in. But that’s why the ones that are successful are truly meant to be in the position. For me, it’s just about continuing to work and focus on what I can control,” he recently shared with Matt Bullard of the NBA network.
Harden looks to benefit from the offseason acquisition of point guard Ty Lawson. Lawson is expected to add a level of playmaking ability to the Rockets offense that didn’t exist last year, except with Harden had the ball. Not that he minds having the ball in his hand — like so many other franchise players (LeBron, Durant, Kobe), Harden likes to control things on the offensive side of the court. But now with point guard of Lawson’s talents, the MVP runner up should be able to find more space moving without the ball.
Lawson is entering his 7th season in the NBA and last year he averaged nearly 10 assists per game (9.6). He’s also a guy who can create his own shot and for his career he’s averaged 14 points per game. But as preseason winds down, Coach Kevin McHale is experimenting with how to maximize Lawson and third year man, Patrick Beverley. However it ultimately plays out, the end result should mean less defensive attention on Harden. That could free him up to do even more damage than the 27 points per game he dropped in last year.
“I think there’s a way to be more efficient for him with less energy exerted and allowing Ty to do more stuff,” McHale recently told ESPN. “One of the best things James does is catch-and-shoot. We just got to challenge our group.”
While the strategy might be for Harden to expend “less energy” on the offensive side of the court, the Rockets will need him to spend more energy being a team leader. That’s exactly what he’s already shown he’s ready to do. Two weeks before training camp began, Harden hosted his own mini-camp in L.A. for his teammates. The session was important for new and returning players alike. His teammates are noticing a difference.
“I’m just happy to see him grow as a player,” Dwight Howard said. “From his OKC days with the little beard to the now we have the beard and it’s really The Beard now … Just to see his growth as a player and a leader has been great.”
One part of his game that is still a work in progress is his defense. It wasn’t that long ago when Harden was the subject of Internet ridicule thanks to a video posted by a fan calling him out for repeated defensive lags. While he improved last year, to truly become an elite player, Harden needs to go from being a defensive liability to being a solid defender.
Harden admitted last season that “I know at times my defense is pretty bad.” While statistically it looks like he improved last season, the eyeball test still has him looking like a subpar defender. That’s not indictment on him as an All-Star caliber talent. But if James Harden really wants to be the best player in the NBA, he’s got to do Michael, Kobe and Lebron all did by bringing up their defensive game.
Harden carries regrets about how it ended last season. “Last year, in Game 5 [against Golden State, when we lost, when I had 12 turnovers, that hurt me more than anything, because I pride myself on creating opportunities for my teammates, giving them easy shots, making sure everybody’s good. And when I was turning the basketball over, I wasn’t doing that, so I was taking away from them. Even though I worked so hard throughout the entire season, for it to end like that, it really messed me up throughout the summer,” he said in an interview with SI.
With all the extra “Hollywood” media following him around and a new $200 million dollar sneaker deal, you’d think James Harden was a distracted man. But it’s actually the contrary, he’s entering this season more focused and determined than ever. He believes he’s ready to take his game up another notch and he’s confident that the Rockets front office has built a championship team around him.
It won’t be an easy road on either front. The marquee players throughout the league all have their own personal motivation and will be looking for banner seasons. To get to an NBA championship, the Rockets will have to navigate a Western Conference that is loaded with no less than five legitimate title contenders. Maybe his team won’t be the favorite to win it all as the season starts. Maybe fans outside of Houston won’t be cheering for Harden to win the MVP. It doesn’t matter to him. James Harden plays better with a little chip on his shoulder.