As a former sprinter, this hit me in the feels. Hamstring grade II took me out 8 weeks. Terrible injury bc you can do everything and feel good. So you’re always questioning yourself. But at full speed, it relapses so quick if you return hastily and you further damage it. One of those injuries that has to totally heal or you risk amplifying it
I physically winced when you listed his minutes in games 5-7, in the context of him returning to the court after TEN DAYS on that hamstring injury. I understand his will to win would influence that decision, but I can't even imagine how much his hamstring deteriorated as a result of him playing those games...
As a nets fan, looking back on it, I don’t blame harden for leaving. On the surface, it seems that everything was kyries, or his fault. I think everyone played a part, mixed with bad luck caused the downfall of the big 3 nets. Glad I went to atleast one game with all 3 playing.
I'm not a Nets fan, but I alway tuned in to see them. Just to find out one of them was injured or see how one of them got injured right there and then. What a complete bust, I legit wanted to see these 3.
Unless someone has dealt with one they wouldn't understand I guess but hamstring injuries, even mild, are no joke man. If not recovered from properly they can follow you around for years. Pissing people off and sitting out for the time needed to recover is always the best option. So many examples of guys trying to come back early because of pressure and it always ends up badly for them in the long run.
I’ve dealt with one. I was 15 and played football, was told i probably shouldn’t play for two weeks by the doctors but I took no time off. It definitely affected my running for a few weeks, but I’ve never had issues with it since. It’s not a valid excuse for a professional basketball player who makes 40 mil. He had time to recover or switch up the way he plays. He sucked. The new rules didn’t allow him to hook players arms anymore and he couldn’t get to the line 20 times a game. Now you have your answer.
This all feels like a massive unfortunate missed opportunity, this saga of James Harden’s decline. His partying habits, the shortest offseason due to Covid, entering the most drama-filled team, and the sudden burst of consecutive hamstring injuries caused his legs and health to sink, all tough breaks. As we’ve seen a few times, we know that Harden can perform really well when he feels rested even if his conditioning and once clean injury history is questionable. He’s a guy that Philly needs to do load management on, so he can save his best for the playoffs, hopefully.
This video was way too stretched out tho for ads n money. Should’ve been a 5 minute video but he repeats all his points in the first 12 minutes. Don’t even wanna watch the rest honestly n I usually like bros vids
@Mars Winnington it’s way better than how people make out it to be though since we have other players like kyle lowry averaging 5/2/3 and 4 twerks a game
@@n26p79 lowry is an all nba type defender. whole nother story. we got russ out here averaging 18,7 and 7 and he is below an 80 rating on nba2k. stats dont mean much
Combination of the partying, not working out enough, age, and the short off season causing the initial injury. After that it became a vicious circle. He can't workout because of the injury.
Facts but I put more emphasis on him, bro is a multimillionaire who can hire the best chefs, trainers and invest in the best body management tools/techniques. People may not like lebron but bro makes sure he's a healthy as can be
@@dastorm15 Oh absolutely. He's never taken care of himself. He's still a very good player, but he's never going to be what he was in Houston. You can't decide at 33 I'm going to start taking my career seriously now.
Another awesome video Dylan! The way you explain these NBA stories is quite simply amazing! The chronological structure and backstory helps to give context, while also show the nuances at play. Can’t wait for the next video!
There's something deeply ironic about a grade 2 hamstring strain (what CP3 had to lose the Conf finals against Golden State) being what sinks Harden after he forced CP3 out of Houston while he was still recovering from it. Takes months to heal from.
He's inefficient in his 3 point shooting. Career below league average. I like his step back and crossovers but I don't like him as a shooter. He got hugely affected of the changes in foul calls hence a dip in his production
@@09198384558 he averaged a higher freethrow rate in the new rules than he did last year. Foul calls had nothing to do with it. He only had less attempts because he took less shots, but he was getting FT's on a higher % of his attempts
@@itsDEEZY Come on bro, u seriously telling me he's not affected because he took less shot coz of rule changes? He took less fta coz he's not getting the calls like he used to. He's a career 86% in ft. He's 89 last yr. Well within median. He got higher coz he got less shot but still within median
@@09198384558 freethrow rate was higher. that means per every drive/attempt, he was getting more fouls called. but since his attempts were down, so were his total freethrows. very basic understanding of stats is all u need to get it bro. Read a bit.
Man harden had one of the greatest primes we’ve ever seen in this generation and of all time. It sucks to see that harden is not the same player he once was just 3 years ago.
Nah. He thrived in the D'antoni system specifically tailored for him. He also benefited from the increased pace of the game and the importance of the three. He also benefited from superstar treatment with ref calls to a ridiculous extent--so much so that the NBA had to change the rules because the game was becoming borderline unwatchable. He had great numbers as a volume scorer but is he really as good as his stats suggest? I don't think so.
@@DeanGl I mean he the best free throw ever in NBA ...His record only rely how much he got fouled....without freethrow and dubious foul call, he is nothing and maybe Avg 10 point PPG in all his career
@@mrboast2826 Absolute L take right here. Harden reads the floor and makes passes at an all-time level. When combined with his ability to score with decent efficiency on tremendous volume he would be a great player in any situation. It's only now that he's slowed down that he looks bad. Because passing and reading the floor don't mean anything if you aren't a scoring threat.
@@mrboast2826 here’s a stat I’m sure you don’t know since you don’t watch basketball. Harden is one of only 2 players known to be responsible for 90 or more points in a game. The other player is Wilt and wilts only there because of his 100 point game. Let that sink in lmao clown take.
Excellent job as always on the video! Thanks as always for sharing your in-depth analysis on the matter. I hope that Harden can come back in shape and ready to go having a full offseason under his belt with the Sixers.
Hardin has been in the league longer than Larry Bird was. He's had a long career, and a good career. I never considered him to be champion material, but he's been a huge star, won great awards, and has made a lot of money. That said, his career is nearing its end no matter what. He's well past his peak.
As a Brooklyn fan it saddens me that last year they faced so many injuries Last season I loved James Harden because he was committed and he was a phenomenal addition who orchestrated the offense If Harden’s hamstring didn’t get injured I believe the Nets would’ve won it all even if Irving still got injured
Don't know if you're still doing these videos but great work. Every video has been a blast and I've watched every one of them at least twice. If I can make a suggestion for a video the hawks 2012-2016 when they got one of the top records in the east a lot. Also congrats on 100k.
Congrats on 100k bro! The nets were a perfect storm of bad luck and bad timing. And personalities who seemed unwilling to fight through all the troubles
He was working out yesterday so maybe that’s a sign. I heard the reports of the 76ers wanting him to take less which may show how teams feel that he is no longer worth giving the max to. It all depends on this year & how he plays. I also believe Covid did a number on his conditioning.
The thing is every player in the nba was affected by COVID and conditioning. Harden just needs to have that mentality before you can even say he deserves that much money
covid did a number on everybody. Harden was the man in houston but now he’s shown up to seasons fat, out of shape, forcing his way off teams, etc. other dudes don’t get to be a diva
Dylan’s can you do one of these documentary-style videos about John Wall? He was so good with good teammates with the Wizards but it never got anywhere and kinda faded out in Houston, It’s sad 😔
Regardless of his injury, his style of play became very predictable. He went away from his midrange game and stuck with step back threes and slashing to the court. People forget he had a good mid-range game but unfortunately he turned into a guy that prefers to play slow, kill the clock, try to hypnotize the opponent and then jack up a three pointer.
It's more that he has no more burst, he has never been an above the rim beast but his ability to change pace and get past his defender made him truly unguardable. Now however if you blitz him and double off the screen he doesn't have the same speed to get by. So he doesn't many options beside a contested 3 or heavily guarded mid range/layup
At his age, James Harden probably found himself to be more susceptible to injuries and it is harder to get into shape. Coupled with his lack of discipline, these factors probably do not translate to a long career...
He's the same player. Add the trips to line and he's the exact same player. The rule changes destroyed this man and the fact that people believe a hamstring turns your career into a role player is crazy. Yeah, add these other factors and give him back the same rules. Guarantee you couldn't tell the difference.
@@ItIsYouAreNotYour I understand that James Harden played by the rules, but I am not sure if "manipulating the system to draw fouls" is a play style to be proud of... Kareem used sky-hook, while Harden used arm-hook! 🤣 After all, the sport is called basket-ball, not "free-throw-ball". Harden will probably have a really long and impressive career in "free-throw-ball" and retires at the age of 80.
@@ItIsYouAreNotYour This is a poor argument mate, really. The issue is that he simply couldn't adapt to the new rules. Every other player had to do it as well, but it simply shows how reliable he was on the free throws. Instead of adapting and changing to get better, he changed nothing and has suffered for it. That's on him.
@@ItIsYouAreNotYour I mean watch the games, the dude is evidently lacking his quick first step. He isn't able to draw fouls as effectively, he can't get in front of his defenders and he ends up just throwing himself into the defender to draw a foul which is now not called. He also isn't making as much separation on his stepbacks, watch like 90% of the 76ers games; he is not 100% in health/conditioning
what’s happened with Harden is the opposite of Kawhi, both are similar caliber of player when healthy, but Harden has shown a willingness to play despite being injured, and also put his body through it, excessive contact, heavy reliance on quick burst, awkward landings. Kawhi Leonard has shown the opposite and even though this had lead to criticism it also lead to his best campaign in 2019, and his load managing has always left him as one of the best players by playoff time just look at 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 Kawhi in all of these playoffs was definitely one of the 3 best players in the world, while Harden who consistently played 75+ games pretty much every season besides 2018 has consistently underperformed come playoff time 2017, 2018, 2022 are some of his worst post seasons, all in all I hate seeing top 10 players in the world missing a lot of games or even entire seasons (KD and Kawhi) but managing your body has proven paramount to success
@@theweaselplays he doesn’t get better he’s just healthier meaning he feels comfortable wearing himself out in the playoffs. Which is impossible to do if ur playing nearly 80 in the regular season with 35 minutes per game
The guy was perenially in the playoffs in Houston. He went to the Western Conference Finals twice and would’ve made it to the Finals if it wasn’t for an unbeatable Warriors team with KD. That’s not really a “lack of success”
@@kiddclarke4578 while I do think his mental changed u can't really blame him 4 the nets days between KD and Kai and himself being hurt this last season started off with Kai not wanting the vaccine so he's out then KD gets hurt and Joe Harris out 4 the yr and u playing with the likes of players who should either be in the g league or almost retired everyday was something new with that team and him KD and Kai never got the chance to really mesh because of that and with the 76ers even tho he played pretty bad I give him the slight benefit of the doubt because it was a new team new system takes time getting used to if this season the same then u can say whatever u want lol
Imma be honest, I wish he would post more often, but you really gotta respect that amount of effort he put in each and every video and all the research he does, good stuff man keep it up.
I'm sure he'll be fine. He's getting older injuries and decline is all part of the game. Let's see what he does when he's healthy. And also he doesn't have to average 30 to be a superstar. there's plenty of people who put out 18 and 10 and are still effective. What I'm hoping for is his efficiency to increase, to do that he'll have to adjust to his new role, age, and accept what he can still do and what he can't.
@@jacobadedoyin7206 Nash was definitely a superstar. It's just that point guards weren't expected to be the first option back then, and 3's weren't as heavily utilized. If Nash played today he'd definitely have a much higher usage rate with stats the neighborhood of 25-10.
If Harden still has any pride and fire left, he’ll ball out this upcoming season. Harden is from the same draft class as Steph, probably even considers himself an equal. Seeing Curry being compared to the greats has to fuel him.
@@Phonsuk How that make sense though… Steph runs non-stop, dashing and sprinting around at high frequencies. Running a marathon and defending = less stress on the body?
@@blue-phoenix115 yeah it's crazy steph is not the iso hog Harden/russ is but he puts if not more the same amount of energy they do on the court every single game.
I love when videos like this come out. James is clearly still in his prime, if just at the tail end of it. Plenty of ball left. Can't wait for this to age like milk.
Hahahhaa for real man everyone talking so much shit cuz he is playing a different role on a new team cuz he is trying to win a ring can’t wait to shut all the haters up when Philly wins the chip next year
I said it before and I'm saying it again. "Washed" James Harden is definitely better than Prime Devin Booker 22 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds on 14 shot attempts are better than 26 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds on 21 shot attempts. Harden deserves the max, but he's helping his team.
@@phatmartyplays332 that's a great what if, but I won't count out a team that has KD, Klay , Draymond and especially Steph Curry, they're definitely going to find a way to win...
Basketball gods literally gave the Rockets and their fans a runback the very next year, and this time it was KD who got hurt in a tied series with a tied game 5, revenge was right there for the taking And what happened? Nothing. So while I don't discount the Rockets chances to win in '18 I also do not trust CP3 at all with a 3-2 lead vs any team, much less the Warriors
We saw in 2019 what would have happened when the Warriors still beat the Rockets, this time without KD. They still would have lost. They just wouldn't have had any excuses.
Man when he was in Houston we gave him everything he wanted. He wanted Dwight Howard, we went and got him. He wanted CP3, we went and got him. He didn't want CP3 anymore so we got rid of him. He wanted Russ, so we brought him in.. it's just on and on and on of this, for him to end with "The Rockets just aren't good enough" 😂
I dont agree his career is ruined. He is opting out and signing a 2-3 year deal for less than Max. Philly contenders now with PJ Tucker. He is still a 20/10 PG. Thats valuable.
I feel harden is gonna evolve into a dwight howard type of player, a vet who is no longer in their prime, but there to play their role and help contribute to winning ball. He’s not the #1 anymore, especially in philly alongside embiid
from the moment he got traded to the nets I feel he felt he wasn't the number 1 and hr played his role but the nets was so injury riddled and some drama around them it made him look worse than he was lol
While no one can deny his ability to score from anywhere, the whole foul abuse saga was quite frankly irritating. No one was allowed to defend him, making games almost a joke to watch.
@@mrskinszszs that’s just blasphemy 😂harden a top 5 SG all time and he arguably one of the greatest scorers and arguably one of the greatest shooters of all time he had lay up package can dunk on ur head used to have a very good mid range game until he abandoned it due to analytics and he has a phenomenal handle while innovating the step back 3 but yeah he’s a glorified 6th man😂😂
As a rockets fan, I witnessed him whine, get his way and force trades, only to then blame the organization for failing him. They did everything they could to appease him and every post season he would just give up. He’s a diva
James Harden built his entire career around initiating contact with the defender. This forced defenders to either play him tight and send him to the free throw line if he jumped into them, or give him space which he used to get open shots. The moment the NBA changed the rules making initiating contact an offensive foul, James Harden’s game took a massive hit. Now he can’t get open 3s or free throws whenever he wants, and that was the majority of his game.
90 days is quite short of a turn around If you think players will come back 4 weeks before the start of the season, they might have pre season games So more like a 62 day rest. One thing people forget though is the players wouldn't have had access to the same support for their bodies during the pandemic that they would have had, so they'd come back to pre-season camp weaker, less explosive and therefor less resilient. And we saw so many players on high minutes get injured that following season
I think he’s having a hard time fitting in. He needs to realize that he is the number 2 option, and be more agressive on offense. He doesn’t have a superteam around him, just a very good team. He should average 25, 8, and 5 on close to 50/40/90 splits. Otherwise, his career may be so e
25,8,5 on 50/40/90 splits is literally MVP level basketball - Curry didn't even accomplish that this season. you're just making stuff up out of nowhere dude
Love this vid. These injuries makes sense on why harden declined as he played through those hammies and it piled up on him. Philly needs to load manage him and make him lose more weight and change his play style to more of a facilitator / jump shooting guard. Those driving and bumping to fish fouls also takes its toll to his body.
As a Houston fan, I have no hate for Harden and how he left us. I’m happy with the way our organization is headed and I wish Harden the best in Philadelphia. I hope he ends up winning a ring
im also a rockets fan, i hated the way he left the team. im over it now cause it led us to having a ton of picks, good young players & a bright future, but the way he left was just upsetting. but i do hope he & embiid win a ring.
Honestly I'm not surprised Houston is on the come up. They got rid of Harden at peak value before his decline and now yall are headed in a good direction hopefully movin forward. Congratulations 👏 👏 👏
@NickDingle-ku6zq I'm happy for you, man. I am not a fan of a single team. I'm a fan of individual players. I think the more teams that are competitive, the better the league is as a whole.
I think it’s the burlier beard slowing him down; trim the beard and reduce wind resistance. Also, bring back the faux hawk. That should get him back up to speed. Please don’t take this seriously.
"Hamstring bug" is a weird way to put it Hamstring injuries are mostly a result of either overwork or bad condition. In Harden's case its both. Dude had an absurdly high usage rate for years and and absurdly low work ethic
I used to think it work ethic also but after thinking about it that’s impossible for harden style of play requires skill an lots of work ethic especially from being a 6th man to a mvp.Unless his work ethic decreased later maybe.
Have To Disagree. Harden Is Top 75, Won MVP, Multiple All Stars, Scoring Titles, He Solidified His Career With The Rockets. Just Towards The End Of Houston He Declined. Flopped In Brooklyn. Still a Decent Player In Philly. Known For Not Playing Defense. Winning A Championship Would Make His Legacy Stronger.
James Hardenis one of the most talented scorer that has ever touched a basketball. BUT that is his bread and butter, just scoring. No effort whatsoever in defense. Doesn't help with his attitude, like at the smallest hint of failure and he wants out. No real love for the game like those legends of Kobe, MJ and Bird. He just wants to put up numbers on the board with the expense of his team. I'm not hating on James, he was in fact one of my inspirations to come back to the game of basketball. BUT I can't help the guy if he parties hard and out of shape, intentional or not. I really hope that James Harden change his view on the game. He won't be a Carmelo rewind, I hope.
@@RoM271290 Did it happen? No. James Harden had KD and Kyrie in Brooklyn. Kobe had Smush Parker and Kwame Brown. If I am a superstar in the league and they don't get me some help then I will also call for a trade.
James Harden may have had some eye popping stat-lines over the years but he CONSISTENTLY played worse in the playoffs when refs swallowed their whistles and didn't go for his foul baiting. He had and still has a tendency to go quiet when things aren't going his team's way. Way too dependent on FT's and terrible defender. One of the most overrated superstars ever to me.
you've clearly never watched him play. Great job noticing that he plays worse in the playoffs when he gets double teamed cuz his teammates suck! Go ahead and tell me which series he was supposed to win? GSW? the SPURS?
The beard has time! He's only in his early 30's which is prime years for lots of players as a sixers fan I'm disappointed with his postseason stats but I know whats he's capable of if he puts 100% into getting healthier still happy to have him on the team
No one stays on top forever, dude was a beast in his prime, even though he's not in his prime anymore he is still in the top 50 players in the world currently
That’s the thing with superstars now in the NBA. Their to spoiled on getting what they want and being able to force there way out of their team. Harden was was fun but stressful when your team played him when he was in H town
thank you Dylan's for giving a fresh perspective on the whole situation, everytime i watch someone talking about that they almost never bring the hamstring injuries they assume that's harden fault and blame harden for everything, anyway i hope harden will get healthy next season because i still do believe in him later and fear the beard 🧔🏿👌
As a former sprinter, this hit me in the feels. Hamstring grade II took me out 8 weeks. Terrible injury bc you can do everything and feel good. So you’re always questioning yourself. But at full speed, it relapses so quick if you return hastily and you further damage it. One of those injuries that has to totally heal or you risk amplifying it
He exaggerated the injury because he was falling off
Bruh stop it. It’s been damn near a year. I’ve had alot of hamstring injuries and reinjuries. Not once has it lasted this long.
@@TheIcemanthomas Yea Harden was fabricating.
Should be healed now and he's still ass.
@@Earl_TheSquirrel never thought u could be on someone’s dk this bad
@@TheIcemanthomas yea but you play wii sports in ur grandmas basement
I physically winced when you listed his minutes in games 5-7, in the context of him returning to the court after TEN DAYS on that hamstring injury. I understand his will to win would influence that decision, but I can't even imagine how much his hamstring deteriorated as a result of him playing those games...
Great point. I think sometimes people make light of injuries
@@majinbeezy no kiddin, popped both of mine in hs, its actually pretty bad
@@saddsatan is it as bad as they say?? lmfao if you dont mind me asking
@@rebinneichalani314 yes you'll lack explosiveness
Yeah its the hamstring 😂
As a nets fan, looking back on it, I don’t blame harden for leaving. On the surface, it seems that everything was kyries, or his fault. I think everyone played a part, mixed with bad luck caused the downfall of the big 3 nets. Glad I went to atleast one game with all 3 playing.
As a Nets fan I wouldn't blame him for "leaving", but that's not what he did. He quit and forced his way out just like he did in Houston.
I'm not a Nets fan, but I alway tuned in to see them. Just to find out one of them was injured or see how one of them got injured right there and then. What a complete bust, I legit wanted to see these 3.
@@MrOctober44 “quit and forced his way out” is just a long way of saying “left” 💀
i think you are a warrior fan not a nets fan 😂👌
@@legato8748 yes 100%
Unless someone has dealt with one they wouldn't understand I guess but hamstring injuries, even mild, are no joke man. If not recovered from properly they can follow you around for years.
Pissing people off and sitting out for the time needed to recover is always the best option. So many examples of guys trying to come back early because of pressure and it always ends up badly for them in the long run.
Isaiah Thomas is the best example of putting your team before your body
I’ve dealt with one. I was 15 and played football, was told i probably shouldn’t play for two weeks by the doctors but I took no time off. It definitely affected my running for a few weeks, but I’ve never had issues with it since. It’s not a valid excuse for a professional basketball player who makes 40 mil. He had time to recover or switch up the way he plays. He sucked. The new rules didn’t allow him to hook players arms anymore and he couldn’t get to the line 20 times a game. Now you have your answer.
This one was borderline stage 3 like I had. At that level he shouldn’t have played. He ruined whatever was left in the tank
@@BaronVonBielski sure, but are you a top 10 athlete where the least of discomfort determines championships? This isn't rec league
@@BaronVonBielski 😂😂😂 this the dumbest comment I've seen in awhile. Thank you
This all feels like a massive unfortunate missed opportunity, this saga of James Harden’s decline. His partying habits, the shortest offseason due to Covid, entering the most drama-filled team, and the sudden burst of consecutive hamstring injuries caused his legs and health to sink, all tough breaks.
As we’ve seen a few times, we know that Harden can perform really well when he feels rested even if his conditioning and once clean injury history is questionable. He’s a guy that Philly needs to do load management on, so he can save his best for the playoffs, hopefully.
Well put
also lets be honest… Harden chasing money over the opportunity to win championships is when the decline happened
mhm
@@GothboiGucci Well him taking a pay cut today I think disproves that
@@Sunsetiscool wait wdym he signed with Philly??
Congrats on 100k Dylan. You really deserve it considering how hard you work on these videos.
eyy
Bro and he started youtube super late, respect
Yes this man really2 doing good videos
godtier content not even close to other nba content
This video was way too stretched out tho for ads n money. Should’ve been a 5 minute video but he repeats all his points in the first 12 minutes. Don’t even wanna watch the rest honestly n I usually like bros vids
Thanks for putting in the time to create these videos loving all that youve made so far and looking forward to more
It's crazy how good he was, we consider him averaging 22-10-7 as bad
@Mars Winnington it’s way better than how people make out it to be though since we have other players like kyle lowry averaging 5/2/3 and 4 twerks a game
@Mars Winnington bro you got a bulls profile pic how the fuck are you taking about average
we consider that bad because he does nothing on the otehr side of the court.
@@n26p79 lowry is an all nba type defender. whole nother story. we got russ out here averaging 18,7 and 7 and he is below an 80 rating on nba2k. stats dont mean much
@@vfgoditachyyy8446 he's an average defender
You and Jxmmy are the only UA-cam channels that I actually look forward to watching every new video when it comes out. Love the content!
Can also recommend Jonny arnett
@@markuspiMA am hoops
@@joyhughes7599 do you watch Cosgrove?
Sporting logically is pretty good, but his content is more about trades and the draft. Still entertaining tho
Welp the rest of these are also recommendations but Clayton Crowley
Combination of the partying, not working out enough, age, and the short off season causing the initial injury. After that it became a vicious circle. He can't workout because of the injury.
Facts but I put more emphasis on him, bro is a multimillionaire who can hire the best chefs, trainers and invest in the best body management tools/techniques. People may not like lebron but bro makes sure he's a healthy as can be
He will be back next season and better then ever keep hating tho
@@dastorm15 Oh absolutely. He's never taken care of himself. He's still a very good player, but he's never going to be what he was in Houston. You can't decide at 33 I'm going to start taking my career seriously now.
@@timmyturner999_ And he's missed a dozen games and counting with another injury this season, lol. Good call. 👍
@@MrOctober44 bro keep hating I don’t give a shit I’m sorry I don’t wanna be a bandwagon I am a 76ers fan lol lap my nuts
Another awesome video Dylan! The way you explain these NBA stories is quite simply amazing! The chronological structure and backstory helps to give context, while also show the nuances at play. Can’t wait for the next video!
Ok but Russell Westbrook averaged a triple double.
last season
Is that you mr. Perkins?
😂😂😂😂😂😂 greatest take of all time
Kendrick?
This season he averaged a triple single.
PERFECT! I’m on my lunch break and I needed something to watch. You the real MVP Dylan!!!
Literally in the exact same spot 😅
Seriously…this is the best channel, the amount of effort gone into each video is tremendous!
These videos probably take him months props to you Dylan keep up the great work
There's something deeply ironic about a grade 2 hamstring strain (what CP3 had to lose the Conf finals against Golden State) being what sinks Harden after he forced CP3 out of Houston while he was still recovering from it.
Takes months to heal from.
This is the best and most non biased media gassed take and overview of harden over the past 2 years you can find. I’m happy I subscribed
I think Harden will come back and have a good season next year. Hoping his hamstring is fully healed.
He's inefficient in his 3 point shooting. Career below league average. I like his step back and crossovers but I don't like him as a shooter. He got hugely affected of the changes in foul calls hence a dip in his production
@@09198384558 he averaged a higher freethrow rate in the new rules than he did last year. Foul calls had nothing to do with it. He only had less attempts because he took less shots, but he was getting FT's on a higher % of his attempts
@@itsDEEZY Come on bro, u seriously telling me he's not affected because he took less shot coz of rule changes? He took less fta coz he's not getting the calls like he used to. He's a career 86% in ft. He's 89 last yr. Well within median. He got higher coz he got less shot but still within median
@@09198384558 freethrow rate was higher. that means per every drive/attempt, he was getting more fouls called. but since his attempts were down, so were his total freethrows.
very basic understanding of stats is all u need to get it bro. Read a bit.
@@09198384558 He actually took 1 more FTA than the year prior, where he would have placed 2nd for MVP had he not gone down with the hamstring
one of the most underrated channels on youtube fr
Such high quality videos
One of the only creators I can watch that doesn’t really use gameplay relevant to the script at the time
Man harden had one of the greatest primes we’ve ever seen in this generation and of all time. It sucks to see that harden is not the same player he once was just 3 years ago.
Harden too busy taking a beating no matter what uniform He puts on.
Nah. He thrived in the D'antoni system specifically tailored for him. He also benefited from the increased pace of the game and the importance of the three. He also benefited from superstar treatment with ref calls to a ridiculous extent--so much so that the NBA had to change the rules because the game was becoming borderline unwatchable. He had great numbers as a volume scorer but is he really as good as his stats suggest? I don't think so.
@@DeanGl I mean he the best free throw ever in NBA ...His record only rely how much he got fouled....without freethrow and dubious foul call, he is nothing and maybe Avg 10 point PPG in all his career
@@mrboast2826 Absolute L take right here. Harden reads the floor and makes passes at an all-time level. When combined with his ability to score with decent efficiency on tremendous volume he would be a great player in any situation. It's only now that he's slowed down that he looks bad. Because passing and reading the floor don't mean anything if you aren't a scoring threat.
@@mrboast2826 here’s a stat I’m sure you don’t know since you don’t watch basketball. Harden is one of only 2 players known to be responsible for 90 or more points in a game. The other player is Wilt and wilts only there because of his 100 point game. Let that sink in lmao clown take.
Excellent job as always on the video! Thanks as always for sharing your in-depth analysis on the matter. I hope that Harden can come back in shape and ready to go having a full offseason under his belt with the Sixers.
Hardin has been in the league longer than Larry Bird was. He's had a long career, and a good career. I never considered him to be champion material, but he's been a huge star, won great awards, and has made a lot of money. That said, his career is nearing its end no matter what. He's well past his peak.
As a Brooklyn fan it saddens me that last year they faced so many injuries
Last season I loved James Harden because he was committed and he was a phenomenal addition who orchestrated the offense
If Harden’s hamstring didn’t get injured I believe the Nets would’ve won it all even if Irving still got injured
They would have easily won the chip
Easily one of the best channels here on youtube, love the work bro! Good job
Don't know if you're still doing these videos but great work. Every video has been a blast and I've watched every one of them at least twice. If I can make a suggestion for a video the hawks 2012-2016 when they got one of the top records in the east a lot. Also congrats on 100k.
Why am I just finding your channel now? Great content
My man Dylan putting out these hall of fame videos 🙌
Congrats on 100k bro!
The nets were a perfect storm of bad luck and bad timing.
And personalities who seemed unwilling to fight through all the troubles
Nah lol that was he’s only chance of getting a ring
@@niceandflyy hehehe
Bro I go on a binge watching your vids, their so good man keep up the work one of the best NBA video essay UA-camrs out here
He was working out yesterday so maybe that’s a sign. I heard the reports of the 76ers wanting him to take less which may show how teams feel that he is no longer worth giving the max to. It all depends on this year & how he plays. I also believe Covid did a number on his conditioning.
Yeah, he is likely to take less money to give philly more cap flexibility according to Woj
The thing is every player in the nba was affected by COVID and conditioning. Harden just needs to have that mentality before you can even say he deserves that much money
covid did a number on everybody. Harden was the man in houston but now he’s shown up to seasons fat, out of shape, forcing his way off teams, etc. other dudes don’t get to be a diva
@@ry_an. do y’all trolls even watch the video?
@@Arturo_Kilgore_Morgan bro these players probably show no symptoms when they get covid get real it does nothing its no longer a excuse🤡
The quality of these videos is amazing I can’t believe you only have 100,000 subs
Dylan’s can you do one of these documentary-style videos about John Wall? He was so good with good teammates with the Wizards but it never got anywhere and kinda faded out in Houston, It’s sad 😔
Congrats on 100k Dylan! Your videos are incredible and I hope you continue doing what you do 💯
Right on the money
Regardless of his injury, his style of play became very predictable. He went away from his midrange game and stuck with step back threes and slashing to the court. People forget he had a good mid-range game but unfortunately he turned into a guy that prefers to play slow, kill the clock, try to hypnotize the opponent and then jack up a three pointer.
It's more that he has no more burst, he has never been an above the rim beast but his ability to change pace and get past his defender made him truly unguardable.
Now however if you blitz him and double off the screen he doesn't have the same speed to get by. So he doesn't many options beside a contested 3 or heavily guarded mid range/layup
How do you only have 100k subs, you deserve at least 800k-1.3M with that kind of video editing,voice dialogue,effort,etc.Keep going Champ 😤🔥🙏
I slightly tore my hamstring in kickboxing 7 months ago and it still give me problems every single day
What a great channel. Keep up the great work. Some of the best basketball content out there. Thank you
At his age, James Harden probably found himself to be more susceptible to injuries and it is harder to get into shape. Coupled with his lack of discipline, these factors probably do not translate to a long career...
He's the same player. Add the trips to line and he's the exact same player. The rule changes destroyed this man and the fact that people believe a hamstring turns your career into a role player is crazy. Yeah, add these other factors and give him back the same rules. Guarantee you couldn't tell the difference.
@@ItIsYouAreNotYour I understand that James Harden played by the rules, but I am not sure if "manipulating the system to draw fouls" is a play style to be proud of... Kareem used sky-hook, while Harden used arm-hook! 🤣
After all, the sport is called basket-ball, not "free-throw-ball". Harden will probably have a really long and impressive career in "free-throw-ball" and retires at the age of 80.
@@ItIsYouAreNotYour This is a poor argument mate, really. The issue is that he simply couldn't adapt to the new rules. Every other player had to do it as well, but it simply shows how reliable he was on the free throws. Instead of adapting and changing to get better, he changed nothing and has suffered for it. That's on him.
@@ItIsYouAreNotYour I mean watch the games, the dude is evidently lacking his quick first step. He isn't able to draw fouls as effectively, he can't get in front of his defenders and he ends up just throwing himself into the defender to draw a foul which is now not called. He also isn't making as much separation on his stepbacks, watch like 90% of the 76ers games; he is not 100% in health/conditioning
@@ItIsYouAreNotYour he was top 3 for mvp last season before the hamstring😕
what’s happened with Harden is the opposite of Kawhi, both are similar caliber of player when healthy, but Harden has shown a willingness to play despite being injured, and also put his body through it, excessive contact, heavy reliance on quick burst, awkward landings. Kawhi Leonard has shown the opposite and even though this had lead to criticism it also lead to his best campaign in 2019, and his load managing has always left him as one of the best players by playoff time just look at 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 Kawhi in all of these playoffs was definitely one of the 3 best players in the world, while Harden who consistently played 75+ games pretty much every season besides 2018 has consistently underperformed come playoff time 2017, 2018, 2022 are some of his worst post seasons, all in all I hate seeing top 10 players in the world missing a lot of games or even entire seasons (KD and Kawhi) but managing your body has proven paramount to success
What happened with Harden is the opposite of Leonard because Kawhi gets better in the finals.
@@theweaselplays he doesn’t get better he’s just healthier meaning he feels comfortable wearing himself out in the playoffs. Which is impossible to do if ur playing nearly 80 in the regular season with 35 minutes per game
He initiates 99% of that contact. So who cares.
No respect for load management...if your teammates have to play you should too...
the king has blessed us with another video masterpiece
U Just Called A White Man A King? 💀
@Mk 🇷🇺 I’m Dead 😂
Ah man, I am always pumped when I see one of your vids drop on my subscriptions work. Loving your videos mate!
as a sixers fan, i really hope harden can shape up to what he was before next season. loved watching him before and hope he doesnt let philly down.
He'll play trash then blame his hammy again
@@Earl_TheSquirrel probably lmao
Another masterpiece Dylan!!! I'm sure this took an incredible amount of time and effort, thank you very much! ^__^
The guy was perenially in the playoffs in Houston. He went to the Western Conference Finals twice and would’ve made it to the Finals if it wasn’t for an unbeatable Warriors team with KD. That’s not really a “lack of success”
and let's not forget if cp3 didn't get hurt who knows what could of happened it could of been rockets vs raptors
@@johnwatkins6321 CP got hurt in ‘18, they would’ve played and destroyed the Cavs in the finals
since houston he’s just not been the same player, it literally looks like he doesn’t want it as bad as he used to
@@XChronicHash lol my fault Ive been drinking and legit 4got 😂😂😂
@@kiddclarke4578 while I do think his mental changed u can't really blame him 4 the nets days between KD and Kai and himself being hurt this last season started off with Kai not wanting the vaccine so he's out then KD gets hurt and Joe Harris out 4 the yr and u playing with the likes of players who should either be in the g league or almost retired everyday was something new with that team and him KD and Kai never got the chance to really mesh because of that and with the 76ers even tho he played pretty bad I give him the slight benefit of the doubt because it was a new team new system takes time getting used to if this season the same then u can say whatever u want lol
Imma be honest, I wish he would post more often, but you really gotta respect that amount of effort he put in each and every video and all the research he does, good stuff man keep it up.
I'm sure he'll be fine. He's getting older injuries and decline is all part of the game. Let's see what he does when he's healthy. And also he doesn't have to average 30 to be a superstar. there's plenty of people who put out 18 and 10 and are still effective. What I'm hoping for is his efficiency to increase, to do that he'll have to adjust to his new role, age, and accept what he can still do and what he can't.
18 and 10 is no superstar
@@jacobadedoyin7206 and steve nash...
@@jacobadedoyin7206 Nash was definitely a superstar. It's just that point guards weren't expected to be the first option back then, and 3's weren't as heavily utilized. If Nash played today he'd definitely have a much higher usage rate with stats the neighborhood of 25-10.
nash averaged 14 ppg a game his entire career
You should post more than once a month because every video is a certified banger😤😤
I still remember when Perks said this is upcoming Kobe and Shaq partnership in new era....
I just want to say that this my favorite channel on YT. you are a gift my guy
If Harden still has any pride and fire left, he’ll ball out this upcoming season.
Harden is from the same draft class as Steph, probably even considers himself an equal. Seeing Curry being compared to the greats has to fuel him.
he really has to condition this off-season
This is the difference between a iso offense vs the ball movement offense steph plays in. Less stress on the body.
@@Phonsuk How that make sense though… Steph runs non-stop, dashing and sprinting around at high frequencies. Running a marathon and defending = less stress on the body?
@@blue-phoenix115 yeah it's crazy steph is not the iso hog Harden/russ is but he puts if not more the same amount of energy they do on the court every single game.
this aged well. best harden weve seen in years
That intro sequence was crazy. I’m locked in
I love when videos like this come out. James is clearly still in his prime, if just at the tail end of it. Plenty of ball left.
Can't wait for this to age like milk.
Hahahhaa for real man everyone talking so much shit cuz he is playing a different role on a new team cuz he is trying to win a ring can’t wait to shut all the haters up when Philly wins the chip next year
He's ass. His prime been over
Lol
I said it before and I'm saying it again.
"Washed" James Harden is definitely better than Prime Devin Booker
22 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds on 14 shot attempts are better than 26 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds on 21 shot attempts.
Harden deserves the max, but he's helping his team.
This man Dylan deserves 1mil subs for his content.
FR!!!
The king has uploaded! Thank you my brotha!
I’m not a rockets fan but it’s sad to think about how different things would be currently if Cp3 never got hurt in the 2018 playoffs
Sadly that's the playoffs. It's whoever is good enough and lucks out
@@spjr99 the rockets were the best team but didn’t have the best luck unfortunately
@@phatmartyplays332 that's a great what if, but I won't count out a team that has KD, Klay , Draymond and especially Steph Curry, they're definitely going to find a way to win...
Basketball gods literally gave the Rockets and their fans a runback the very next year, and this time it was KD who got hurt in a tied series with a tied game 5, revenge was right there for the taking
And what happened? Nothing. So while I don't discount the Rockets chances to win in '18 I also do not trust CP3 at all with a 3-2 lead vs any team, much less the Warriors
We saw in 2019 what would have happened when the Warriors still beat the Rockets, this time without KD.
They still would have lost. They just wouldn't have had any excuses.
W video, hope you continue these amazing videos, u put so much work into it and i appreciate it
Man when he was in Houston we gave him everything he wanted. He wanted Dwight Howard, we went and got him. He wanted CP3, we went and got him. He didn't want CP3 anymore so we got rid of him. He wanted Russ, so we brought him in.. it's just on and on and on of this, for him to end with "The Rockets just aren't good enough"
😂
it's a good day when DDB drops!
I dont agree his career is ruined. He is opting out and signing a 2-3 year deal for less than Max. Philly contenders now with PJ Tucker. He is still a 20/10 PG. Thats valuable.
Doesn't matter if he can't stay healthy
Great job as always Dylan
Thank you for these great videos!!!
Glad your channel blew up to 100k subs! Been here since 50k subs 💯
I feel harden is gonna evolve into a dwight howard type of player, a vet who is no longer in their prime, but there to play their role and help contribute to winning ball. He’s not the #1 anymore, especially in philly alongside embiid
from the moment he got traded to the nets I feel he felt he wasn't the number 1 and hr played his role but the nets was so injury riddled and some drama around them it made him look worse than he was lol
incredible videos keep coming! one of my favorite channels
While no one can deny his ability to score from anywhere, the whole foul abuse saga was quite frankly irritating. No one was allowed to defend him, making games almost a joke to watch.
That’s why they failed in the playoffs
Yes
He really can't score from anywhere consistently. If you take away his FTs he's a glorified 6th man.
@@mrskinszszs loool your smoking crack lmaoo
@@mrskinszszs that’s just blasphemy 😂harden a top 5 SG all time and he arguably one of the greatest scorers and arguably one of the greatest shooters of all time he had lay up package can dunk on ur head used to have a very good mid range game until he abandoned it due to analytics and he has a phenomenal handle while innovating the step back 3 but yeah he’s a glorified 6th man😂😂
love the video! i hope after this offseason he’s had enough rest.
As a rockets fan, I witnessed him whine, get his way and force trades, only to then blame the organization for failing him. They did everything they could to appease him and every post season he would just give up. He’s a diva
Another great video Dylan. Proud of you
James Harden built his entire career around initiating contact with the defender. This forced defenders to either play him tight and send him to the free throw line if he jumped into them, or give him space which he used to get open shots. The moment the NBA changed the rules making initiating contact an offensive foul, James Harden’s game took a massive hit. Now he can’t get open 3s or free throws whenever he wants, and that was the majority of his game.
Good job man. Great video. Waiting on a d rose timeline tho🌹👀
90 days is quite short of a turn around
If you think players will come back 4 weeks before the start of the season, they might have pre season games
So more like a 62 day rest. One thing people forget though is the players wouldn't have had access to the same support for their bodies during the pandemic that they would have had, so they'd come back to pre-season camp weaker, less explosive and therefor less resilient.
And we saw so many players on high minutes get injured that following season
Bro your videos are amazing, keep it up!
“He scored 22-9 and 9. A pitiful performance…” like really? Bros on a torn hamstring and still putting up great numbers!
dylan always performs and his vids are always bangers keep working these videos are so good
I think he’s having a hard time fitting in. He needs to realize that he is the number 2 option, and be more agressive on offense. He doesn’t have a superteam around him, just a very good team. He should average 25, 8, and 5 on close to 50/40/90 splits. Otherwise, his career may be so e
He more of a 3rd option... Bosh avg 18 with the heat
@@BigWillieDillie hardens definitely still a second option… 22 and 10 aren’t third option numbers
He’s never been near 50/40/90 in his career and you expect him to do it now?
50/40/90 isn't doable for Harden unless he becomes a Klay without the defense ie a catch and shoot. He's more of a 45/35/85 player
25,8,5 on 50/40/90 splits is literally MVP level basketball - Curry didn't even accomplish that this season.
you're just making stuff up out of nowhere dude
Love this vid. These injuries makes sense on why harden declined as he played through those hammies and it piled up on him. Philly needs to load manage him and make him lose more weight and change his play style to more of a facilitator / jump shooting guard. Those driving and bumping to fish fouls also takes its toll to his body.
Before the video even starts, I’m thinking his decline was due to his weakness to the Honeybun and a 12 pcs Popeye’s bucket. 🍗
With the quality and consistency of these videos, you would think he has a million subscribers
As a Houston fan, I have no hate for Harden and how he left us. I’m happy with the way our organization is headed and I wish Harden the best in Philadelphia. I hope he ends up winning a ring
im also a rockets fan, i hated the way he left the team. im over it now cause it led us to having a ton of picks, good young players & a bright future, but the way he left was just upsetting.
but i do hope he & embiid win a ring.
Honestly I'm not surprised Houston is on the come up. They got rid of Harden at peak value before his decline and now yall are headed in a good direction hopefully movin forward. Congratulations 👏 👏 👏
@@Taydutt13 we are loaded with young talent, but no vets to lead them. Maybe that'll change this off-season
@NickDingle-ku6zq I'm happy for you, man. I am not a fan of a single team. I'm a fan of individual players. I think the more teams that are competitive, the better the league is as a whole.
Amazing channel. Congrats on 100k
I think it’s the burlier beard slowing him down; trim the beard and reduce wind resistance. Also, bring back the faux hawk. That should get him back up to speed.
Please don’t take this seriously.
You may be on to something. He's tryna fight aerodynamics.
@@JudahThe1st 🤣
Great content as usual man I wish you do a video on Denver and how they are trying to contend
"Hamstring bug" is a weird way to put it
Hamstring injuries are mostly a result of either overwork or bad condition. In Harden's case its both. Dude had an absurdly high usage rate for years and and absurdly low work ethic
This is the answer
I used to think it work ethic also but after thinking about it that’s impossible for harden style of play requires skill an lots of work ethic especially from being a 6th man to a mvp.Unless his work ethic decreased later maybe.
good in depth video man
It’s a shame how injuries can damage an athlete’s career.
That is why they get as much money as they can while the can.
Can’t blame ‘em.
Have To Disagree. Harden Is Top 75, Won MVP, Multiple All Stars, Scoring Titles, He Solidified His Career With The Rockets. Just Towards The End Of Houston He Declined. Flopped In Brooklyn. Still a Decent Player In Philly. Known For Not Playing Defense. Winning A Championship Would Make His Legacy Stronger.
James Hardenis one of the most talented scorer that has ever touched a basketball. BUT that is his bread and butter, just scoring. No effort whatsoever in defense. Doesn't help with his attitude, like at the smallest hint of failure and he wants out. No real love for the game like those legends of Kobe, MJ and Bird. He just wants to put up numbers on the board with the expense of his team. I'm not hating on James, he was in fact one of my inspirations to come back to the game of basketball. BUT I can't help the guy if he parties hard and out of shape, intentional or not. I really hope that James Harden change his view on the game. He won't be a Carmelo rewind, I hope.
Kobe literally forced a trade to the Bulls and just didn't pull through bc Deng was part of the package...
@@RoM271290 Did it happen? No. James Harden had KD and Kyrie in Brooklyn. Kobe had Smush Parker and Kwame Brown. If I am a superstar in the league and they don't get me some help then I will also call for a trade.
Big 100k good stuff bro
James Harden may have had some eye popping stat-lines over the years but he CONSISTENTLY played worse in the playoffs when refs swallowed their whistles and didn't go for his foul baiting. He had and still has a tendency to go quiet when things aren't going his team's way. Way too dependent on FT's and terrible defender. One of the most overrated superstars ever to me.
you've clearly never watched him play. Great job noticing that he plays worse in the playoffs when he gets double teamed cuz his teammates suck! Go ahead and tell me which series he was supposed to win? GSW? the SPURS?
@@dennistang5935 harden's stats drop whenever he doesn't get the foul calls. he's a nobody without the refs on his side.
@@etm3398 Everyone's stats drop when they don't get foul calls lol.
Fax
Agreed
NEW DYLAN VIDEO LETS GOOOOOOOO
Goat is back
always comin with the amazing content 🙌🏼
The beard has time! He's only in his early 30's which is prime years for lots of players as a sixers fan I'm disappointed with his postseason stats but I know whats he's capable of if he puts 100% into getting healthier still happy to have him on the team
who wouldve thought the saga continues a year after this video was uploaded, that man is a la clipper right now!
he looks so much younger and slimmer in Houston
He had less muscle
He has always had a big belly
Definitely bulked up thought since brooklyn
No one stays on top forever, dude was a beast in his prime, even though he's not in his prime anymore he is still in the top 50 players in the world currently
That’s the thing with superstars now in the NBA. Their to spoiled on getting what they want and being able to force there way out of their team. Harden was was fun but stressful when your team played him when he was in H town
thank you Dylan's for giving a fresh perspective on the whole situation, everytime i watch someone talking about that they almost never bring the hamstring injuries they assume that's harden fault and blame harden for everything, anyway i hope harden will get healthy next season because i still do believe in him later and fear the
beard 🧔🏿👌