30 Year Old Lebron or 25 Year Old Harden? Who Would You Take Today?

[Sledge187]

If you could choose one, who would you take as of today?

[Jeffie]

Harden if he played defense.. But def lebron, harden is not gonna carry a team to the championship James will.

[jjgold]

Lebron

No comparison

[Bostongambler]

James hands down

[Sledge187]

LeBron vs Harden
25.4 PPG vs 27.0 PPG
5.1 RPG vs 6.2 RPG
7.6 APG vs 7.0 APG
1.3 SPG vs 2.0 SPG

[DiggityDaggityDo]

James hands down

No comparison

harden is not gonna carry a team to the championship James will.

[The Kraken]

There's about a dozen guys I'd take before Harden. James being on that list.

[Sledge187]

There's about a dozen guys I'd take before Harden. James being on that list.

Who are the 12 you would take?

[The Kraken]

Durant, Westbrook, James, Curry, Griffin, Paul, Aldridge

These are guys off the top of my head. I'd seriously have to consider taking Marc Gasol ahead of him as well. There may be 1 or 2 more that I didn't think of. So maybe 8 or 9 total I'd take ahead of him.

I've watched him play as much as anyone. He really plays no defense, it's absolutely terrible. OKC improved immensely on D after he left. Houston will never win with Harden until he learns how to play D. A team with a good back court like the GSW or even the Thunder will shoot them out of the gym.

As for the comparison to James, I don't think there is one. Harden is all offensive stats. His size limits him to playing the 1 or 2 and really he can't even guard a 1, so he's stuck guarding the 2. LBJ can play 1-5 and guard 1-5. Teams game plan around LeBron, him being on the floor completely alters what the other team does at both ends of the floor. Harden will always have good stats in the regular season when teams are coasting but there is a reason his #'s go way down in the playoffs.

I never liked that gross beard of his either.

[DrunkHorseplayer]

Is this a serious question? LeBron by a mile.

[The Kraken]

Harden played well tonight

[TwoWays]

That rockets team is transformed with josh smith. Guy is a defensive beast inside when he wants to be

[Sledge187]

That rockets team is transformed with josh smith. Guy is a defensive beast inside when he wants to be

Rockets are going to be able to matchup with anyone now. The additions of Josh Smith and Brewer is huge. They already turned the corner on D and now they got even better. It's funny how all the guys that hate on Harden, his D has improved so much since the Olympics. The guy is flat out the best player on the planet.

[Dollars2Donuts]

My God, I voted and somehow hit Harden on my stupid iPhone but meant to vote for LeBron.

Should be 14-2 not 13-3

I messed this up. I should be banned for my error.

[The Kraken]

I vote to permanently D2D for this unforgivable sin. Two time POTM and best thread in PT doesn't give you the right to sabotage a poll.

Unreal

[TheMoneyShot]

I give Harden some credit... but King James is the play.

[jjgold]

Harden is basically unstoppable

Can you imagine if Okl City still had him??

[Seto]

Let's wait until Harden gets out of the first round with "his" team before starting to make these comparisons...

The only thing going for him in this debate is that he's younger.

Put LeBron on the Rockets and they're favourites to win it all without a shadow of a doubt. Now I don't think they actually WOULD win it all, but they'd be favourites and actually deserve to be so unlike the absolute fukking joke it is that the Cavs have been faves throughout most of this season.

However, given the pieces on both teams, Harden has a better chance to win it all than LeBron does, despite playing in the West. LeBron needs to leave Cleveland FAST if he wants to win again, or they need to make drastic roster changes.

[R.P. McMurphy]

This is not even debate worthy really. It's Bron hands down from both a basketball AND business standpoint. Only guy close really is KD mainly because of his age and far less miles.

[NBA Maniac]

You should take the one that flops better and the refs like !!!

[katstale]

Trick question?

[ramones951]

LeBron vs Harden
25.4 PPG vs 27.0 PPG
5.1 RPG vs 6.2 RPG
7.6 APG vs 7.0 APG
1.3 SPG vs 2.0 SPG

Easier to hoard stats when you don't exert any energy playing defense

[CrimsonTideFan]

LeBron James, easy.

[krk1030]

Depends on the rest of the roster. On either houston or clevelands current roster id take lebron.

[Big Bear]

Lamarcus Aldrige

end of thread

[HardCore]

Westbrook is the best player in basketball RIGHT NOW but as for this question i'd go Harden lbj can barely dunk anymore. Harden's 25, he hasn't even begun to terrorize this league.

[Sledge187]

Easier to hoard stats when you don't exert any energy playing defense

Yet he has more steals than Lebron. You are really stupid.

[ramones951]

Yet he has more steals than Lebron. You are really stupid.

LeBron has made 5 straight all NBA Defensive First Teams. Meanwhile, here's what James Harden does on the defensive side of the ball. You know, that other half of what makes a great player:

Are you able to figure out what's going on in that video? Can you use your eyes to see what's going on or are they busy obsessing over "Harden has 2.0 SPG therefore he's a good defender." Stats only tell you so much... I suppose the rest isn't as apparent to a dumbass like yourself. What about a more important stat you conveniently left out, like why Harden is shooting an incredibly underwhelming 42.6%?

[JOHON8]

^there's the proof i guess harden is overrated

[frostno98]

Harden a less elite version of Carmelo Anthony.

[greenhippo]

Easier to hoard stats when you don't exert any energy playing defense

Who leads the NBA in defensive win shares and overall win shares?

[Ebumdude]

LeBron has made 5 straight all NBA Defensive First Teams. Meanwhile, here's what James Harden does on the defensive side of the ball. You know, that other half of what makes a great player:

Are you able to figure out what's going on in that video? Can you use your eyes to see what's going on or are they busy obsessing over "Harden has 2.0 SPG therefore he's a good defender." Stats only tell you so much... I suppose the rest isn't as apparent to a dumbass like yourself. What about a more important stat you conveniently left out, like why Harden is shooting an incredibly underwhelming 42.6%?

Too bad your video is from last season.

Try looking up a video with his IMPROVED defense.

Here, I'll help you:

[Eddy Munny]

LeBron has made 5 straight all NBA Defensive First Teams. Meanwhile, here's what James Harden does on the defensive side of the ball. You know, that other half of what makes a great player:

Are you able to figure out what's going on in that video? Can you use your eyes to see what's going on or are they busy obsessing over "Harden has 2.0 SPG therefore he's a good defender." Stats only tell you so much... I suppose the rest isn't as apparent to a dumbass like yourself. What about a more important stat you conveniently left out, like why Harden is shooting an incredibly underwhelming 42.6%?

I knew Harden was lazy on defense, but this video is downright embarassing. Defense is all about desire, and it's obvious Harden's only desire is to pad his stats on the other end of the floor, and let his teammates do the dirty work.

This is about what you'd expect in a pickup game at the YMCA.

[Ebumdude]

[rm18]

delete it pal