![]() ![]() Harden had become one of the league’s top players, but with two first-round defeats since he had become the Rockets’ go-to star, he knew he had to be better, and the improvement had to come on the defensive end. The Rockets were humbled by their loss to the Trail Blazers but also toughened by the experience. To McHale, however, it is more than that. It’s a matter of me focusing and being able to do both parts at a high level.” I feel like I have the offensive part down pretty well. “You have to score the ball and play offense and you have to be able to be able to play defense as well. “It’s a transition to becoming a superstar,” Harden said of his improved defense. Harden has remained as ambitious as ever, but with a greater understanding of what it would take to fulfill his offseason declaration that he is the NBA’s “ best all-around player.” The Rockets were first in opposing field-goal percentage (41.1 percent) and three-point percentage (28.8 percent.) With the Rockets opening the season with seven routs in their first eight games, they were second in points allowed per game (92.1) and first in defensive rating, allowing 93.7 per 100 possessions. He earned praise for his play in Spain during the World Cup and returned to Houston pledging greater “focus” on the defensive end. When the Rockets lost to the Trail Blazers in the playoffs last season, Harden vowed to improve defensively. With Harden resting or just inattentive, he was often exposed for failing to get back defensively or pay attention on backdoor cuts, giving up layups and filling the video. His issues were when his man moved behind the ball. But with unusual strength for a shooting guard and a clear challenge, Harden was at his best. He was never confused as a lockdown defender, but when engaged, he could be effective.īy February, the Rockets increased how often they switched on screens, often putting Harden in matchups against big men who rushed to post him up inside. If his man had the ball, Harden was a largely solid defensive player. Harden’s defense last season was either pretty good, or it was nonexistent. As with Brewer’s layup, it doesn’t matter who Harden was assigned to defend if he did not defend him at all. Still, Harden’s issues were never entirely about the talent of his opponent as much as his own carelessness. That naturally makes his defensive rating worse than it otherwise would be (and just one point per 100 possessions worse than Harden’s.) Ariza is never out of the game when Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Kawhi Leonard or Kevin Martin are on the floor. Trevor Ariza not only usually matches up with opposing teams’ best wing scorer, usually taking that responsibility off Harden’s hands. Among the Rockets’ regulars, only Dwight Howard, who has been off the charts, has a better defensive rating. More telling, perhaps, is that change is not just a reflection of the Rockets’ improvement overall. This season it’s at 96, 10 points per 100 possessions shy of his career average. Harden’s annual defensive rating in his career (points allowed per 100 possessions) has been 104, 108, 105, 106 and 107. He's out there defending.”Įven just a brief look at statistics shows dramatic improvement. “James' biggest improvement has been on the defensive end,” Rockets coach Kevin McHale said. It was an example of the stunning defensive inattentiveness he left behind, a reminder of how far he has come in the season’s early weeks. It was not an example of how Harden defends. There was, however, a wholly different reaction to Brewer’s layup and the clip it inspired this time around. Rather than loafing, Harden seemed to be anticipating a pin-down screen that never came, leaving Brewer entirely unattended. Brewer’s layup in Mexico City was marginally different. ![]()
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