Even the NBA’s best defenders have issues dealing with James Harden, and one of those defenders explained why the Houston Rockets star is so hard to guard.
Philadelphia 76ers guard Jimmy Butler, regarded as an excellent perimeter defender, said Harden has a way of finding an opening no matter what a defender does.
Jimmy Butler on defending Harden: "You can try to deny him, but he’ll find a way to get it and make an incredible play for himself or for somebody else. That’s just who he is as a player. That’s why he’s fun to watch and everybody respects him around the league. "
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) March 9, 2019
All the proof of this is in Harden’s remarkable recent scoring streak. It’s been criticized by some, but this is a good rebuttal, and the fact that he still does it even when everyone knows it’s coming is indicative of how tough he is to slow down.
