Harden is Joe Johnson?!...Shhhhhhhiiiii

[JTB]

One game my a double s. This dude is a beast and way better than johnson will ever be offensively. I watched johnson like everyone else when he first came to the ATL and he never showed this kind of offense ability most of you claim he once had. You can hate on harden all he wants but I sure as hell didnt see johnson posting 45 point games for us!I appreciate johnson but harden was a steal! once he gets more players around him who can actually defend the rockets will be able to compete! The biggest thing that makes me mad is that harden draws way more fouls than what johnson ever has even though some were bad calls the fact that he gets them is the good thing for his team...im wondering what ferry plans to do cause i know harden was on his list once he misses out on d12 and cp3. oh and by the way 2 games is enough to show that harden is good and in fact he will get them to the playoffs. I need to know if he can lead them in the playoffs? and thats yet to be determined.This is where the comparison of Johnson and Harden stop! please! harden is better than Johnson deal with it! Johnson was not a star like harden is, its obvious!

[Plainview1981]

Is it really hate for Harden or more fear of getting burned like we did before?That said, I most likely will be proven to be wrong about Harden it looks like.

[ATLscrubLove]

It isn't that hard to get that many points when you are the only good player on a team. On top of that we had guys 3 inches shorter than him trying to guard him on the perimeter. Not to mention we couldn't get rebounds resulting in Harden getting even more shots. Let's not forget, Joe put up numbers kinda like this in the early days.

[APE]

In the finals he is Joe.

[99PROBL3MS]

If Joe was still in ATL, Harden wouldn't have had near 45pts tonight. That is the irony. Harden still has a lot to prove. Joe went toe to toe with Dwade in his prme during the 2009 playoffs and won the battle. When Harden does something of that sort then he gets all of the props in the world. Right now he is killing it in the reglar season. Props on that but I need to see more.

[Plainview1981]

If Joe was still in ATL, Harden wouldn't have had near 45pts tonight. That is the irony. Harden still has a lot to prove. Joe went toe to toe with Dwade in his prme during the 2009 playoffs and won the battle. When Harden does something of that sort then he gets all of the props in the world. Right now he is killing it in the reglar season. Props on that but I need to see more.

Joe is gone just as he should be.

[AtLaS]

Joe went toe to toe with Dwade in his prme during the 2009 playoffs and won the battle. When Harden does something of that sort then he gets all of the props in the world.

No he didn't. He had one good game in that entire series. We had the better team at every position outside 2 guard (where we had an "all-star") and were lucky to win. Wade's team was just horrible.

[Diesel]

One game my a double s. This dude is a beast and way better than johnson will ever be offensively. I watched johnson like everyone else when he first came to the ATL and he never showed this kind of offense ability most of you claim he once had. You can hate on harden all he wants but I sure as hell didnt see johnson posting 45 point games for us! I appreciate johnson but harden was a steal! once he gets more players around him who can actually defend the rockets will be able to compete! The biggest thing that makes me mad is that harden draws way more fouls than what johnson ever has even though some were bad calls the fact that he gets them is the good thing for his team... im wondering what ferry plans to do cause i know harden was on his list once he misses out on d12 and cp3. oh and by the way 2 games is enough to show that harden is good and in fact he will get them to the playoffs. I need to know if he can lead them in the playoffs? and thats yet to be determined. This is where the comparison of Johnson and Harden stop! please! harden is better than Johnson deal with it! Johnson was not a star like harden is, its obvious!

Look at all the good Pieces that Harden has around him... Lin... Has Joe ever had a PG with the quality of Lin? Maybe Bibby... Asik... Giving all the second chance shots and picks in the world. Marcus - Last night that guy looked like a beast. Let's just face it.. when Joe got here, we put him on a team filled with rookies and gave him old Kenny Anderson and old Kevin Willis and told him to be successful. Joe had to carry a team. I have yet to see Harden with a double team in his face. It's only 2 games. Give the league time to catch up.

[benhillboy]

I can't see any comparison between the two at all. I'm pretty sure Joe has never had a game like Harden's first two in a defined starter's role in terms of stat points in given minutes. If Joe was anywhere close to Harden he wouldve been an Olympian this past summer. Unfortunately, he probably wasnt even considered. Let the Joe Love go please people. Of course these stupid stat lines won't be the norm for Harden, but he's capable on any given night. Joe simply isn't, never was.

[Randy]

First time I've seen Harden in person - has a sort of strange shot - kind of leans into it a lot. He's not like Joe in another way - he gets to the line a lot. I wish we had him.

[Guest Walter]

sothron, diesel, others who insist HARDEN is a flash in the pan lesser J somehow continue to make themselves look foolish. Harden, did better than JJ AT HIS BEST, did so within 2 games of being on the team, and did so by scoring Houston's last 7 pts at crunch time. He did it with 75% shooting, with fewer than 20 shots! He did it with a +17 differential. The notion that he won't continue to punk you guys is laughable. Please, come around. This ain't MW you're dissing. This guy WANTS the ball. He wants to be great. Wish we could have gotten him although I can't see a trade that would have made it work without giving up Horford (although THAT appears like it might have been worth it) or doing a more complicated 3 way trade. i.e. JS/Houston 1st to LA, Gasol and our first to OKC, Harden/Perkins to ATL. Too late nowW

[MQDnATL01]

Harden got to the line a lot because he did something Joe wouldnt do....DRIVE THE LANE. Harden is not a big 2 guard but was fearless getting to the rim last night.

Edited November 3, 2012 by MQDnATL01

[99PROBL3MS]

Since when is Harden not a big two guard!? Name 5 SGs bigger than 6-6 220

[BrazilianHawk]

It isn't that hard to get that many points when you are the only good player on a team. On top of that we had guys 3 inches shorter than him trying to guard him on the perimeter. Not to mention we couldn't get rebounds resulting in Harden getting even more shots.

Let's not forget, Joe put up numbers kinda like this in the early days.

That's true of course, but just getting more shots won't do it. Hell, Harden had 19 FGA. Josh? 21 for 18 points. Lou? 17 for 22 points.

Harden is a true beast. And we have a horrible defense.

[AHF]

Joe has never scored 45 points in his career.Joe has never scored 82 points in consecutive games.Joe has never put up two consecutive games with 35 points (let alone 37).I am sure Harden could put down another half dozen "Joe has never done..." sorts of marks (Joe has never had X free throws in a game, Joe has never scored so many points on so few shots, etc.That is after 2 games as the #1 option. Imagine how many he will have after a full season.

[MQDnATL01]

Since when is Harden not a big two guard!? Name 5 SGs bigger than 6-6 220

Thats what he is listed as, we know how teams like to add a number or 2 to that listed height and weight. Remember Alonzo Mourning somehow went from being listed as 7'0 in Charlotte to 6'10 in Miami and Kobe bas been listed as 6'6 to 6'8 to 6'7 lol. Kobe much bigger then Harder so thats 1 2 guard bigger then him. To lazy to look up the other 4 oh yeah throw Joe Johnson in there too as a bigger 2.

[TheFuzz]

Harden is a lot closer to what Ginobili would be if he ever had his own team (I suppose Ginobili's team was Argentina). Prime Ginobili was a LOT better than Joe ever was (and a lot better than Harden, for that matter).

[TheNorthCydeRises]

No he didn't. He had one good game in that entire series. We had the better team at every position outside 2 guard (where we had an "all-star") and were lucky to win. Wade's team was just horrible.

JJ in that 2009 playoff series:

17.1 ppg ( on 15.1 shots )

4.4 rebs

3.1 asst

41.5% FG

43.5% 3FG

Had two 25+ point games, including the stellar Game 7.

Meanwhile, Wade averaged 29 ppg . . but was held to 43% FG. And he had a monster Game 6. The only thing JJ did, was outplay Wade when it counted . . in Game 7

Joe has never scored 45 points in his career.

Joe has never scored 82 points in consecutive games.

Joe has never put up two consecutive games with 35 points (let alone 37).

I am sure Harden could put down another half dozen "Joe has never done..." sorts of marks (Joe has never had X free throws in a game, Joe has never scored so many points on so few shots, etc.

That is after 2 games as the #1 option. Imagine how many he will have after a full season.

Even as a big JJ fan, this was obvious even before Harden became "the man". Harden simply has more offensive talent than JJ. He's quicker. He's a better ball handler. He's a better passer. He's a better shooter. He's more athletic.

The dude is a 6-5 version of a young T-Mac . . with a better outside shot . . and possibly better court vision and better handles.

Defensively he may be weaker than JJ. But Harden has always had all the offensive tools to be a SUPERSTAR. And he's proving that already.

It's a reason why he was the #3 pick in the draft in 2009 ( probably should've been #2, seeing that Thabeet went #2 that year to Memphis ). And if WinScore ( Win Share ) is an indicator of who is really a good player, Harden has the best WinScore per 48 in that draft class right now

1) Harden ( .176 )

2) Griffin ( .164 )

3) Lawson ( .149 )

When he has his first bad or sub-par game, it won't prove that he's not a superstar. It'll simply prove that he is human.

All I know, is that if Harden was doing all of this for the Hawks, people would be proclaiming him to be the next Dominique ( as a scorer ), and would stop waiting on "Midrange Shawty" to become a superstar.

Edited November 3, 2012 by northcyde

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Harden is a lot closer to what Ginobili would be if he ever had his own team (I suppose Ginobili's team was Argentina). Prime Ginobili was a LOT better than Joe ever was (and a lot better than Harden, for that matter).

Man that's a bunch of bull. LOL . . anything to down Harden I guess. Ginobli does NOT have the all around offensive skills that Harden has. Manu was damn good as the #2 and #3 option in San Antonio. But in the few times that Duncan went down, it wasn't Manu who elevated his game to superstar level, it was Tony Parker. And that's why Tony is "the man" now, and not Manu's crippled self. And there is no telling how much of a better player Joe Johnson could've been, if he had a legit low post scoring option on his team, or a real good PG. Remember, JJ had neither of those things while he was in ATL. The best post player JJ played with in ATL is still Al Harrington . . and the best PG may have arguably been Speedy Claxton, seeing that JJ set up Bibby for many more shots, than Bibby set up JJ for shots. Edited November 3, 2012 by northcyde

[Diesel]

Joe has never scored 45 points in his career. Joe has never scored 82 points in consecutive games. Joe has never put up two consecutive games with 35 points (let alone 37). I am sure Harden could put down another half dozen "Joe has never done..." sorts of marks (Joe has never had X free throws in a game, Joe has never scored so many points on so few shots, etc. That is after 2 games as the #1 option. Imagine how many he will have after a full season.

I love how everybody sniffs Harden's Jock after 2 games. Remember, he was traded right before these two games. Funny thing, teams haven't game planned for him and he's out there just having a field day because teams dont know what to expect... but just wait. Wait until the target is placed firmly on his back.. Wait until he sees a double team. Then let's talk.