James Harden is playing basketball to join an elite group: he wants to be part of that cadre of greats who have never won an NBA championship. The way Harden scores he has a good chance to do it. Chris Mullin, John Stockton, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Reggie Miller–lots of gifted guys will recognize Harden as one of their own.
But that’s all Harden’s playing for. You can see why encapsulated in a single play below. Why did Pippen and Jordan strike fear in opposing teams? Because they were predators on defense. Every night, too. LeBron James is great because of his offense? Yes, but he’s the greatest because of his unequaled defense. Watch James Harden prove, in one play, that he doesn’t intend to rise to greatness. That defense is simply not something he is going to do. Watch James Harden turn into a statue on the court. (Important note: the Michael Jordan statue is outside the arena. He never looked like this on the court–not even once.) Thanks to @andrewthehan for the capture.
James Harden turns into a gargoyle in transition defense | http://t.co/1FRx24UjL1
— Andrew Han (@andrewthehan) November 25, 2014
