Basketball fans shouldn't downplay the run James Harden is having right now. Harden has finished second in MVP voting the past two seasons, and it's all but certain (sorry, Brow) that he'll claim the prestigious hardware at the second annual NBA Awards June 25.
When people discuss this generation of basketball 15 or 20 years from now, they'll mention Harden among the other greats—LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, etc. And it's quite possible that we're witnessing the pique of Harden's career right now. How could he get any better?
This season, he's leading the league in points per game and Player Efficiency Rating. He's been the NBA's finest isolation player for years, but he's gone to a new level this year.
Just how good is he in the grand scheme of things? Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni, who has been around the game his whole life, has a sky-high opinion of Harden's offensive abilities. He said Harden is "the best offensive player I've ever seen."
Look, no one is debating that Harden is the G.O.A.T.—he has a long way to go before he enters that conversation. But if we're just talking offensive ability, D'Antoni has a point. The Beard is near the top of that list.
Harden and the Rockets ended the Blazers' 13-game winning streak Tuesday night, 115-111. A late offensive rebound sealed the deal.