Over the last 4-5 seasons, Harden's been exposed in a playoff environment, over and over, and over, and over, and over again. Yet folk still couldn't see (or didn't want to acknowledge, in some cases) that his game was nothing more than slapstick; a farcical legerdemain act. Folk still couldn't see a player whose lack of skillset was covered up by eating off easy scoring opportunities and hamming for foul calls during the regular season. Folk still couldn't see a player whose slothful, gutless temperament was reflected by his tendency to take shortcuts and exhaust loopholes, on both ends of the floor. The postseason climate peeled back his game to its very core, exposing it to the rays of teams' gameplanning, concentrated defensive schemes and the allowment of more contact. From fans, to current/ex-players, to arbiters/analysts - everyone was fooled. Everyone.
As the #1 option he's shot 41% from the field, and averaged nearly 5 turnovers per game over the last 4-5 postseasons. With some historically WOAT playoff performances along the way, particularly in pivotal games/moments:
10 points on 18% shooting, 6 turnovers vs Spurs '17 playoffs (WOAT playoff performance 1a)
13 points on 17% shooting, 4 turnovers vs Spurs '17 playoffs
16 points on 31% shooting, 7 turnovers vs Thunder '17 playoffs
18 points on 30% shooting, 4 turnovers vs Warriors '16 playoffs
14 points on 18% shooting, 13 turnovers vs Warriors '15 playoffs (WOAT playoff performance 1b)
23 points on 25% shooting vs Clippers '15 playoffs (watched his team overcome a 19-pt deficit from the bench in an elimination game)
27 points on 28% shooting, 4 turnovers vs T'Blazers '14 playoffs
17 points on 33% shooting vs T'Blazers '14 playoffs
18 points on 31% shooting, 5 turnovers vs T'Blazers '14 playoffs
20 points on 30% shooting vs Thunder '13 playoffs
15 points on 33% shooting, 10 turnovers vs Thunder '13 playoffs (WOAT playoff performance 1c)
26 points on 31% shooting, 4 turnovers vs Thunder '13 playoffs (elimination game)
And that's not even mentioning his putrid, stuck-in-mud defense or taking into account the odd call that he was bailed out with in the playoffs.
It's over.
As the #1 option he's shot 41% from the field, and averaged nearly 5 turnovers per game over the last 4-5 postseasons. With some historically WOAT playoff performances along the way, particularly in pivotal games/moments:
10 points on 18% shooting, 6 turnovers vs Spurs '17 playoffs (WOAT playoff performance 1a)
13 points on 17% shooting, 4 turnovers vs Spurs '17 playoffs
16 points on 31% shooting, 7 turnovers vs Thunder '17 playoffs
18 points on 30% shooting, 4 turnovers vs Warriors '16 playoffs
14 points on 18% shooting, 13 turnovers vs Warriors '15 playoffs (WOAT playoff performance 1b)
23 points on 25% shooting vs Clippers '15 playoffs (watched his team overcome a 19-pt deficit from the bench in an elimination game)
27 points on 28% shooting, 4 turnovers vs T'Blazers '14 playoffs
17 points on 33% shooting vs T'Blazers '14 playoffs
18 points on 31% shooting, 5 turnovers vs T'Blazers '14 playoffs
20 points on 30% shooting vs Thunder '13 playoffs
15 points on 33% shooting, 10 turnovers vs Thunder '13 playoffs (WOAT playoff performance 1c)
26 points on 31% shooting, 4 turnovers vs Thunder '13 playoffs (elimination game)
And that's not even mentioning his putrid, stuck-in-mud defense or taking into account the odd call that he was bailed out with in the playoffs.
It's over.
Last edited:
