James HarDen leads the NBA in defensive win shares.

[who_better_than_me]

The Rockets have one of the league's best defenses, and James Harden leads the league in defensive win shares (not a typo).

Making fun of James Harden's defense is easy. He's been comically bad on many occasions. It's so easy to make fun of Harden's defense that even Harden himself does it.

But something funny is happening this season: Harden is leading the league in defensive win shares. At 1.04, he's ahead of Tim Duncan (1.03) and Kawhi Leonard, Marc Gasol and Trevor Ariza (all at 0.93).

Harden isn't having as prolific of a scoring season as he had in recent years. His scoring average is down from 25.9 in 2012-13 and 25.4 in 2013-14 to 24.4 this season. He's shooting 39.1 percent from the floor, down from 45.6 percent last year. But the Rockets are 10-3, good enough for third best in the West, and Harden's defense is a factor -- this time, for the right reasons.

Defensive win shares estimate the number of wins a player produces thanks to defensive ability. Last season, Harden had 2.7 defensive win shares. That was in 73 games. Through just 13 games this year, he's already at 1.04. And his defensive rating, an estimate of points allowed per 100 possessions, is also much improved. In his first five seasons in the league, Harden's defensive rating was 108, 107, 106, 105 and 104 respectively. This season, it's 97.

Harden told the Houston Chronicle he has stepped up his focus on the defensive end. "I have been able to anticipate what's next and I have been able to lock in," he said. "A lot of credit to my teammates and coaches. They have done a good job scheming and communicating."

Harden has stepped up and so has Houston, which leads the league in defensive efficiency as a team at 94.5 points per 100 possessions. Having Trevor Ariza (tied for third in the league in defensive win shares) on the team has certainly helped Harden, who has also seen an uptick in his rebounding, up to 6.4 per game from 4.7 last season.

"You have to score the ball and play offense and you have to be able to be able to play defense as well," Harden told the Chronicle. "I feel like I have the offensive part down pretty well. It's a matter of me focusing and being able to do both parts at a high level."

So far this season, Harden has done that. All jokes aside, Harden is improved on the defensive end.

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2014/11/23/7271125/james-harden-defense-improvement-houston-rockets

Above klay, kawhi, tony Allen and other perimeter defender and his post defense has been really good. Like I said he hasn't even hit his prime yet. His defense crunch time single-handedly got us the W against dallas this weekend too. And he doing this with Beverly and Howard out so you can't say he's being protected

Best overall sg in the league. Let's see how the haters try to switch this one around to fit their agenda

 

[Trojan 24]

CAC Stats

 

[jaguar paw]

I don't think his actual defensive ability was the question it was just his lack of desire and awareness last year that was being called out.

Kudos to him for doing his job better. Just keep it up.

 

[The Goodz]

CAC

take that shyt to The Locker Room

 

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

I don't think his actual defensive ability was the question it was just his lack of desire and awareness last year that was being called out.

Kudos to him for doing his job better. Just keep it up.

Yeah that's really what defense is all about: effort. Even the awareness comes from effort. f you're a world class athlete, you can play defense if you want to.

With that said, the Rockets' games I've watched this year, I've seen Harden locked in on that end of the floor. It's about fukkin time.

 

[duncanthetall]

Yeah, what was said earlier. He just seemed aloof and like he didn't give a fukk while on D. Like "Breh hurry up and give me the ball back so i can play the fun part of basketball."

 

[who_better_than_me]

Yeah that's really what defense is all about: effort. Even the awareness comes from effort. f you're a world class athlete, you can play defense if you want to.

With that said, the Rockets' games I've watched this year, I've seen Harden locked in on that end of the floor. It's about fukkin time.

Nah last season i remember tellin ppl that he was capable of playing really good to great defense and ppl said no. I made the same argument that he just wasn't trying but he did have moment last year when he was consistently trying. He was playing good defense when Ralph Sampson was there in the bench because Sampson made sure he also put in effort on the defensive end but once Sampson left that was nobody(on the coaching staff) on the bench that enforced defensive integrity onto harden and he just lapsed away from it. And then also harden was surrounded by bad defenders in parsons and Lin who saw a lot of floor time with harden so it was say for him to have defensive lap playing next to them. Now he has ariza and Beverly surrounding him who both really good defenders and Howard back there when he's actually playing.

 

[AAKing23]

Just proof that many of those advanced stats don't mean shyt

 

[LordTaskForce]

his offense is his defense

 

[KnickstapeCity]

Just proof that many of those advanced stats don't mean shyt

You shouldn't be talking dawg
You? What?! 0-13? :mjlol1:

 

[AAKing23]

You shouldn't be talking dawg
You? What?! 0-13? :mjlol1:

What does the Sixers record gotta do with Harden playing defense?



And why are ya'll Knicks fans on a high horse for beating the fukking Sixers?

 

[Ben.]

He has improved defensively but not to this level

 

[DaRock]

Just proof that many of those advanced stats don't mean shyt

Breh, I'm reading this shytt... Defensive win shares estimate the number of wins a player produces thanks to defensive ability.....I'm like does this even mean as it pertains to playing basketball more specifically playing defense...

 

[SuperNintendo Chalmers]

What in theeeeee fukk is a defensive win share?

nikkas trading stocks on the basketball floor?

 

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

Nah last season i remember tellin ppl that he was capable of playing really good to great defense and ppl said no. I made the same argument that he just wasn't trying but he did have moment last year when he was consistently trying. He was playing good defense when Ralph Sampson was there in the bench because Sampson made sure he also put in effort on the defensive end but once Sampson left that was nobody(on the coaching staff) on the bench that enforced defensive integrity onto harden and he just lapsed away from it. And then also harden was surrounded by bad defenders in parsons and Lin who saw a lot of floor time with harden so it was say for him to have defensive lap playing next to them. Now he has ariza and Beverly surrounding him who both really good defenders and Howard back there when he's actually playing.

That's still effort though fam. Having consistent defensive lapses means he's not trying.

But this year I've seen him play some downright great defense at times. He didn't get "better" defensively. He's just locked in at that end of the floor now.