Love that you got Clayton Crowley involved. Everything he does is fantastic.
@jonathanglennon13258 ай бұрын
Besides the Jordan wizards video, they've all been so spot on
@visno8 ай бұрын
i was just about to say this sounds like clayton. glad to get that confirmation
@sikanderbaluch14646 ай бұрын
@@jonathanglennon1325nah he made some valid points in that one
@syjane87468 ай бұрын
Apparently westbrook was "holding the thunder back" but when he got injured in 2013 the team collapsed in the playoffs and let’s not forget how many memorable moments and series he had such as spurs vs okc 2016, mavs vs okc 2016, 2015 clippers, game 7 vs memphis in 2014, that iconic 2012 lakers series where he had that and one in game 5 and even though that he didn’t have much playoff success after durant left saying that he never had a good playoff moment is wrong . his performance in game 5 vs the jazz in 2018 to lead the thunder’s comeback is one of the best I have ever seen and the list goes on
@lalox64728 ай бұрын
He also dropped 43 on the Heat big 3 in the finals
@goldenrackz69328 ай бұрын
Thats exactly why i cant watch vids like these. Its like these people dont watch ball, they just run with narratives like hypebeasts
@jomoeller89658 ай бұрын
ok but “failed to make his team better” was a crazy thing to say 😂😂😂 that team would’ve been the worse team in the league without russ
@PrimeKobeBryant8 ай бұрын
Real half that roster was out the nba after 2 years
@jaylenclement8 ай бұрын
@@PrimeKobeBryantnot even that, they were a defensive team that did not fit with Russ play style at all! That was an incredible MVP season
@dierise68756 ай бұрын
@@PrimeKobeBryantAndre Roberson survived a little longer than 2 years actually
@kezzfm38928 ай бұрын
Brother that elimination game vs the jazz when they were down like 25 and russ willed them back into that game, or had 40 points in the nba finals vs bron bosh or wade. Or when he had the game winning block on booker. 0 memorable playoff performances is crazy
@loooooop-28 ай бұрын
Critics suggesting Russell Westbrook didn’t elevate his team in 2017 (top clutch scorer) have no credibility. They’re admitting they paid no attention nor watched that team.
@alexandrequillien40688 ай бұрын
James Harden put the fear in God against those GOAT-esque Warriors teams. Russ is great, but Harden at his peak was slightly just above.
@Lordandmaster268 ай бұрын
Harden never gets credit for taking the greatest collection of talent of all time to game 7 and prolly should have won if CP3 didn’t get hurt. They say he “choked” against the 73 win warriors with KD…
@spiritfirst80488 ай бұрын
Cracks me up how the excuse is always that CP3 was out. Harden and the rest of the Houston team absolutely failed to deliver in game 7. CHOKED.
@Lordandmaster268 ай бұрын
@@spiritfirst8048 those KD teams are prolly favored against every single team in NBA history…. You can’t choke if you are considered the massive underdog
@WonderManFlex8 ай бұрын
You don't get the point. The fact that the rockets even made it to a game 7 is insane given how good those warriors were. It took an all time shooting slump for the warriors to only win game 7 by single digits. Love him or hate him, Harden is a legend. @@spiritfirst8048
@prajwalkrishnabhat55398 ай бұрын
It's harden for me. His offensive production during his prime was so good, he could be a one-man offense and still be top 15 in the league.
@Tb-gz4qt8 ай бұрын
More like top 5**
@809Mornelle8 ай бұрын
His series against spurs in 2016 , in 2012 against the lakers when he made that steal and crazy shot and his series agaist the mavs when cuban said he wasnt a superstar and kd defending him. Stop the cap he has alot of memorable playoff moments. Watch the spurs 2016 series and watch how he dominated them
@MayBeGiant8 ай бұрын
Dawg he said after KD left, aren’t those all with KD?
@PrimeKobeBryant8 ай бұрын
@@MayBeGiantworst roster ever and PG never shows up man wtf he got gamed on by Dame from half court
@809Mornelle8 ай бұрын
@@MayBeGiant KD lost with booker , he lost with kyrie and he got swept . Who cares when both of them played both of their contributions helped ok to win.
@BekNan3 ай бұрын
@@809Mornellestill made it further and had better success without westbrick
@809Mornelle3 ай бұрын
@@BekNan how old are you , can’t be a grown man . If you are I wish you best , you need to mature. Harden and Westbrook had great careers, the end!
@ndrocca8 ай бұрын
Clayton Crowley?! Holy cow! This is an amazing surprise!
@kalieden54938 ай бұрын
its definitely Harden, even with those 27 missed threes the game was still close despite how bad it sounds and he was literally the only person to ever give that superteam trouble.
@macvincemosquera96168 ай бұрын
this is the most legit answer. during the entire warriors dynasty, only the rockets and spurs in the western conference put the warrior's back on the walls. and james harden was one of the main reasons for that. russ is good, hof worthy. but harden had a better career between the two, individual accolades, better playoff success as the main guy, more efficient, and making teammates better. russ knows that.
@williamvaughn44188 ай бұрын
@@macvincemosquera9616PG had shoulder surgery after both years with Russ in okc … and PG tried to play through it and they lost in the playoffs .. but if you watch the thunder vs warriors in the 2017-18 season and 2018-19 season .. the thunder was putting on the warriors
@mattjones80168 ай бұрын
bron did it or 1 game
@dobronx47718 ай бұрын
1 game away from winning the championship. I’m a bronsexual but Lebron was not winning that series. Not with that team.
@macvincemosquera96168 ай бұрын
if rockets and cavs met during the 2018 finals, series would be over in 5. rockets over cavs. no disrespect to the king but he had a mid supporting cast that year. @@dobronx4771
@nepton39218 ай бұрын
Russ has never helped out a team? He brought the wizards To the playoffs, something that hasn't happened in over 15 years
@48238JEFE8 ай бұрын
15 years?
@Tb-gz4qt8 ай бұрын
Lol why u making stuff up? He took themm to the playoffs in 2020 but the Wizards were in the playoffs in 2017 and 2016. Before that they made the playoffs in 2013 and 2014.
@mybestofriendo46158 ай бұрын
There’s no reason to lie they were in the playoffs in 2017 and even made a deeper playoff run then 😂
@Cabbr98 ай бұрын
Harden never beat russ out for 1st team all nba, harden was a SG and had little to no competition other then and aged Kobe , Westbrook battled with prime curry and cp3 for first team honours
@orangejuice201338 ай бұрын
You do know it’s just two guards right doesn’t matter if they are pg or a sg just matter if you were a top guard that season
@Epicness548 ай бұрын
I gotta say Clayton, I pick Russ over Harden for the same reason I pick Tim Duncan 1st overall. They would make coming to work worth it. I know without a doubt in my mind that neither of them are going to ruin the culture of my workplace or my locker room if I’m a player, coach, or GM.
@saydaddy918 ай бұрын
Is that you Clayton? LETS GO!!!
@camern8 ай бұрын
Bleacher report won free agency this year
@thepoisonouspotato36318 ай бұрын
James Harden has never missed the playoffs in his career, and he is the NBA’s scoring leader of the 2010s
@deven73458 ай бұрын
Post kd russ had pg but the roster wasn’t constructed for his exact style of play like hardens. I’m not saying that’s anyone’s fault, however I bring that up to make a point. If he had the space that harden had in Houston all those years. The narrative would be way different.
@jonnstewart20238 ай бұрын
And just what is a team that's built around russ gonna achieve. Not more than any harden led one, dude is less efficient, more hardheaded and more turnover prone
@igbokwenu49348 ай бұрын
OP Absolute FACTS. That OKC traded key parts of that team like Ibaka and Deion Waiters to give KD an empty chequebook to re-sign, and the waiting period for that 🐍 meant most of the roster were gone as so much hinged on KD staying which everyone thought he would do , not realising he'd join the team that just beaten them. The second comment a team similar to Lebrons or Giannis' teams in Milwaukee is more suited to Russ. I e. Great spot up 3 and D shooters , a Centre that's athletic and work in transition and sometimes shoot threes or mid ranges if necessary and a bench Point Guard that can moderate the pace of the game when he rests.
@TeenCrisisMusic8 ай бұрын
Is Clayton Crowley working with Bleacher Report now?
@cameronrimmer53528 ай бұрын
You love to see it! He’s the best KZbinr that makes basketball players
@GianChan8 ай бұрын
Westbrook of course
@kelechinwaeze6718 ай бұрын
ur tripping
@daviesugo76418 ай бұрын
Harden was top 3 in mvp voting like 6-7 times. Russ only got there once.
@Aj-kd8wg8 ай бұрын
All you did was retell the story, you don’t mention the context of their teams and how it fit them, how Westbrook had terrible spacing and unoptimized teams. All the injuries that he played thru because of how bad the team was and you count it against him?
@Tb-gz4qt8 ай бұрын
No one cares about "playing through injury". Why would anyone care? If they can play, then they play. Harden had a concussion during his whole series vs Spurs in 2017 but that doesnt stop people from roasting him losing to a Kawhi less spurs, and it shouldnt.
@soleil3gs8 ай бұрын
It’s Harden but Russ is a great player and deserves all his flowers
@adamduffy-castaldo11898 ай бұрын
Westbrook clears
@Blasian_guy8 ай бұрын
Westbrook gaps tf
@corysimmons4558 ай бұрын
Total b.s
@daviesugo76418 ай бұрын
@@adamduffy-castaldo1189Harden has been top 3 in mvp like 6 times. Russ has been top 3 once
@jeffjifferjay63428 ай бұрын
I’d take russ simply because we haven’t seen a healthy version of him in the playoffs aside from the clippers since 2017, and harden has had good playoff performances but tends to choke when it really matters, albeit Russ and kd did choke in 2016 as well
@localcelebrity29728 ай бұрын
Just say you hate Harden. You bashed him the whole video. Smh. Hate him cause you ain't him.
@troysmith81778 ай бұрын
Russ never had a team built for him tho🤫
@troysmith81778 ай бұрын
Brodie just had broken rosters from free agency lol
@elijahlogan73478 ай бұрын
They got him PG and Melo
@skylargardner53518 ай бұрын
Melo was 100 and PG13 was hurt his OKC stint c'mon now
@troysmith81778 ай бұрын
I don't see how bringing in Melo is building a team for anyone. Russ never had elite floor spacers. It was kinda like the bulls when D rose was mvp. Very easy style of basketball ball to guard in the playoffs
@orangejuice201338 ай бұрын
He has. They got him great scoring around him and a top 7 defence and he couldn’t win anything. Losing to the jazz and blazers is inexcusable. Also shooting under 40% is mad wild. Harden is better not close
@camern8 ай бұрын
Bro is that my boy Clayton Crowley on the voiceover!?
@binmanbinman8 ай бұрын
Definitely Westbrook
@KDuff-20158 ай бұрын
This difficult because Harden offensively is the more efficient player over history but Westbrook was a 2 way player even tho he was never a lockdown defender he was willing unlike Prime Harden
@MarkLaw138 ай бұрын
Westbrook ain't no two way player
@Melly_Wayy8 ай бұрын
Never lol
@stuntmandaniels33238 ай бұрын
@@MarkLaw13he is when need be .. he was a defensive player of year in college
@DreBeats_8 ай бұрын
@@MarkLaw13grown ass man with a female as his profile pic😭😭😭 you do not know basketball
@HisRoyalFreshness1638 ай бұрын
@@stuntmandaniels3323College! Come on, you don't seriously think that is a legit argument, right?
@Juice_plz8 ай бұрын
good shit clayton
@ryantorres33118 ай бұрын
Let’s not act like Russ was holding the thunder back when kd left. Who else was going to carry that team? Roberson? Steven Adam’s? Alex abrines?
@Ingenuity0098 ай бұрын
Westbrook, not even close. One guy is one of the most unstoppable players of all time, never takes a night off, makes scoring look easy. One is a cancer to your team, needs a lot of free throws, he turns the ball over just as much as Westbrook.
@devonlatrell57678 ай бұрын
Need what you smoking lol
@Ingenuity0098 ай бұрын
@@devonlatrell5767 Don't hate cause I'm right.
@orangejuice201338 ай бұрын
This is a bad take lol. Russ has taken a lot of free throws and also shooting 40% in the playoffs doesn’t make your scoring look easy 😂
@Ingenuity0098 ай бұрын
@orangejuice1386 Russ doesn't flop like a baby and he's had to play on trash teams wether in OKC, or Washington.
@orangejuice201338 ай бұрын
@@Ingenuity009 no he was the one that was trash. Harden can carry a team pass the first round Russ can not simple as that bro
Russ has the more iconic MVP season, way more entertaining player, way more playoff performances and iconic moments. No slight on Harden but he’s a productive machine while being boring to watch. His stepback changed the game though
@newpancakeman8 ай бұрын
The goat getting exposure you love to see it
@solobusiness43208 ай бұрын
Harden in 2018 was literally unguardable he put the defense on skates every single night he averaged what like 36 and took the 2018 nba champions to 7 games easily prime beard
@jayrobert21218 ай бұрын
Also can't defend and takes 69 shots a game and If he don't like the team or a cheerleader he's going to get fat and sit out so im going with russ
@NiceGuyDan088 ай бұрын
@@jayrobert2121 Russ averages 18 shots a game over the course of his career. Harden averages a little over 16 a game. Bad take.
@jayrobert21218 ай бұрын
@NiceGuyDan08 I didn't say russ didn't shot the ball when he played at OKC??? Do you think russ or Harden takes better shots. Who plays better defense if you can even call what harden does as defense? Who's a better team player? Harden has been having team build around him for years now and not winning anything.
@NiceGuyDan088 ай бұрын
@@jayrobert2121 Harden is historically more efficient from the field (without factoring in any free throws) and that's not even a close comparison. Their defensive metrics for their career are actually pretty comparable. We aren't going to re-write history just because he's playing good now. For most of his career, he has been a terrible defensive player. Better team player? I don't know how you quantify that. I don't have an opinion and frankly it doesn't matter. Harden is clearly the better player and has had the better career.
@Allensanor8 ай бұрын
No way Clayton is on BR no wonder why he hasn’t been uploading videos 😂😂😂
@Portableshua8 ай бұрын
Russ never been an elite defender? He’s been snubbed for all defensive teams especially in 2017-2018. Many points in this discussion are flawed
@spiritfirst80488 ай бұрын
Westbrook is absolutely a superior defender this year. Hands down.
@marlowlawsonjr.38888 ай бұрын
Harden. No debate
@soundcloudsash8 ай бұрын
Need more vids like this good work bleacher report
@JohnnyYeet123-sr8xk8 ай бұрын
As a massive Westbrook fan, it's Harden. Man averaged 36 for a season, averaged a 50-point triple double for a period of time in 2019, led his team further than Russ, and was a far better shooter and similar caliber passer.
@binmanbinman8 ай бұрын
dude said averaged 36 for a season like russ ain’t average a triple double three seasons in a row 😂
@phillyp23308 ай бұрын
It's Russ and Harden isn't even close.
@njabulozwane67838 ай бұрын
It's definitely harden no contest, better playmaker and can score on every level and has had better playoff runs. No hate on russ but facts are facts.
@mangobeepoppin27128 ай бұрын
@@binmanbinmanif I’m not mistaken Russ has more triple doubles than majority of the entire active NBA combined. On top of that he is solidified in the history record books for triple doubles. I think Harden is good too. But they play completely different. Both seem to have different work ethics as well. Russ is more giving and willing to adjust as needed. Harden just goes out and balls to his own benefit.
@phillyp23308 ай бұрын
@njabulozwane6783 Westbrook is sitting at 9.k all time assists while James is at 7.k. playoffs are hard to judge due to all of the injuries, but they've both reached the same exact heights. Westbrook has shown he could lead terrible teams when he led Okc (because they never recovered from durant leaving)and Washington to the playoffs. Harden was expected to make the finals with a complete team and still managed to miss 21 straight 3's against the Warriors. Not to mention his generational falloff in the playoffs because his game revolves around being fouled.
@Nas-12408 ай бұрын
Not a Harden fan by any means, but harden's better with little to no debate.
@gungij27288 ай бұрын
harden def better between the two harden was the best player in the world for years he arguablly top 5 player in the game right now i think when its all said and done he will be top 10 all time
@awesomeguy6318 ай бұрын
Westbrook for me no doubt about it.
@Be_Elightened198 ай бұрын
I can't compare these two cause i grew to love both. When they went up against the Heat in the finals i only knew who Kevin Durant was, and i was going for the Heat. Right now, I want L.A Clipps to go all the way. 🚀
@Durantism3578 ай бұрын
CLAYTON HAS MADE IT😭😭😭😭
@AB_70928 ай бұрын
Harden as a first option at least made it to the conference finals a couple times. Westbrook as a first option never made it out of the first round. Case closed.
@phillyp23308 ай бұрын
Lol what kind of argument is this?
@moogerchee22878 ай бұрын
harden is much better, lefraud got swept by the kd warriors while harden went 3-4 and 2-4 with mid teammates@@phillyp2330
@yeah87098 ай бұрын
@@phillyp2330 bad argument but its harden either way
@Larryisalwayssufferinginc.85028 ай бұрын
@phillyp2330 exactly. That's more of an indictment on Okc management than Russ. Even those Pg teams were too frontloaded with Russ and Pg doing everything. Him losing to a young Donovan Mitchell was a bad look but again those Okc teams weren't good.
@AB_70928 ай бұрын
@@phillyp2330 Russ is a losing player and stat padder as the first option. At least harden made the rockets contenders even if he is a playoff choker. Even lebron couldn’t make the play in with Westbrook.
@ericpangdozq5108 ай бұрын
Harden lez go. Hes jist shit when it matters. Maybe he's smarter than we thought and gets cold feet whenever shits on the line thats why he chokes.
@vanwilder2058 ай бұрын
All the excuses y’all are making for Brodie all could be said about harden. The simple fact is harden is a winner and Westbrook isn’t that’s why we used to beat the shit out of the thunder when he was there. And don’t act like Westbrook never had a good team. Because those teams were just as if not more talented than the rockets.
@michaelgenove1448 ай бұрын
These dudes in the comments section think that he had a lot of help in his Houston career, harden made them elite not another way around. Harden only got ang aging cp3 & Howard in his prime and a bunch of nobody. No superstar no all star at best. If you want to argue his support cast, where are they now? Capela only shine because of harden look where he is now? Even tho he is in his prime he regress fast. He dominating in gsw era and a borderline allstar but now look at him? Gorden is only relevant when he was with harden, dude so irrelevant for years after harden left Houston. And the other just can’t find a team after that Houston era and the others retired. For context lebron couldn’t even crack a single game ỉn playoff series against the greatest team that had been built and that’s a “2018 bron” who considered by the most the most complete version bron. 😏 meanwhile harden and cp3 and a bunch nobody went toe to toe against gsw nearly beating them. So who had a better team? Or maybe who was the better leader??? 🤔
@pauloigbokwe8 ай бұрын
It won't take decades for someone to break Westbrook's triple double record Jokic will do it in a few years tops
@Letskeepitreal-b9n8 ай бұрын
For real Westbrook started the dribble looking normal jokic made it to where you can actually win doing it
@sakshamdwivedi42738 ай бұрын
He got clowned on for calling himself one of the most unselfish players ever. But Beardman's been sacrificing his talents his whole career with very little pouting. In OKC, Scott Brooks played him as 6th man for 3 years in, despite being one of the most talented players on the team. In Houston, Tim Fertitta refused to go over the luxury tax and surround him with better players, despite being one game away from an NBA finals in 2018. (The next year he averaged 36ppg 7rpg 8apg) In Brooklyn, Kyrie Irving played less games then Harden, despite Harden being injured. In Philadelphia, he took a pay cut so the Doc Rivers could sign more depth, despite being owed $15million more. Generational talent that's been adapting and being unselfish since he entered the league when the 2019 rockets are down 0-2 and he averages 40/10/5 the next 2 games to tie it up, it doesn't count. when he puts up 35/8/5 and has more points/rebounds/assists/steals than steph in game 6, he sucked and steph was legendary to win without KD. in the bubble he put up 30 ppg on 67 TS% against an elite lakers defense that was just doubling him near halfcourt and leaving russ wide open. but he sucked. he also tends to have his best games end in near losses, which unless he has a time machine, i'm not sure what he can do about. putting up 39/10/9 on 62% shooting (field goal, not TS%) against the #1 defense 2015 warriors and being +12 in 41 minutes, only for the rockets to be -13 in his 7 minutes off so he loses by 1 gets forgotten. still a great game. he goes up 3-2 on the most talented team ever but cp3 gets injured so no credit for harden. he's had some disappointing playoff moments, but people way overplay it. I mean Harden does have 9 playoff games where he scored 40+ points, including 3 in the 2018 playoff run alone. Curry has 7 such games in his career. Butler has 6. Melo had 4. Harden certainly deserves plenty of criticism. But this idea that he’s never gone off in the playoffs is ridiculous. He generally had just kind of ok supporting casts and regularly made some decent playoff runs. His Rockets were also the only team to really give a healthy KD Warriors any real trouble. Cavs got swept and lost in 5. I think if you take "Most Valuable Player" literally, Harden should have won. Take Steph Curry off of that Warriors team, and that's still a good team. Take James Harden off of that Rockets team (keep in mind that Dwight was also missing for most of the season), and that team is very close to the very bottom of the West. Steph Curry had a phenomenal season, but I'm tired of team performance being taken into account so heavily in individual accolades. Harden 2014-15. With out Harden the Rockets probably dont make the playoffs. With out Curry the Warriors still make the playoffs, just not as the first seed. I feel like considering that Dwight was injured most of the season and Harden fucking went ham to keep his team a float, that the MVP should have gone to him. The only knock on Harden was his percentages, but Harden still averaged 27.4 points, 7 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.9 steals for the season. Dem be MVP numbuhs. James Harden is an underrated defender and I will argue that to the grave The only reason mainstream media views harden as a bad defensive player is because of lowlight tapes where harden doesn’t sprint across the court to guard a speedy fast break but when Lebron sags on defense it’s considered conserving energy. Efficiency wise if a player is a huge plus on offense it makes sense to have them expend the majority of their energy getting points instead of making high energy cost/low return defensive plays. Especially when that player is by far the most effective offensive player on the team. Lebrons famous 48 minute playoff games utilize this strategy and Harden is the highest usage player in league history so it’s less about defensive skill as opposed to a strategic decision. This is why Harden prefers to guard bigs in the post where his style is more about stealing low rather than jumping to block. And when looking at his defensive efficiency in the post it’s up there with the best in the league. Defense isn’t necessarily about the flashy blocks of a Giannis or the scrappy pestering of a Pat Beverly. It’s about not letting the other team score the ball and Harden does a good not great job at that. I rest my case. At their peaks, Harden IS a better offensive player than Jordan (and Kobe) by every imaginable metric. Harden is a better offensive player at his peak than Jordan. Some of this is going to sound repetitive but follow along. Kobe averaged 5 rebounds and 4 assists in his 35.1ppg season. He did that on 27 FGAs, and a 56% TS Jordan averaged 5 rebounds and 4.5 assists in his 37ppg season. He did that on 28 FGAs, and a 56% TS. Harden averaged 7 rebounds and 8 assists in his 36.1ppg season. He's doing that on 24 FGAs and a 61% TS. Yeah well Harden shoots too many free throws. Harden: 11 FTA (88%) Jordan: 11.9 FTA (85.7%) Kobe: 10.2 FTA (85%) Yeah well Harden shoots too many threes that's why his TS is high. Harden: 54.1 eFG%, 52.9% from 2, 36.8% from 3 Kobe: 49.1 eFG%, 48.2% from 2, 34.7% from 3 MJ: 48.4 eFG%, 49.1% from 2, 18.2% from 3 (only on 0.8 attempts though) Yeah well the game was much slower back then. Per 100 Possessions: Harden: 48.2 PPG (highest of all time) MJ: 46.4 PPG Kobe: 45.6 PPG Yeah well compared to their league, Jordan stood out more. Then let's compare to the league average. Harden: 54.1 eFG% and 61.7 TS%, League Average: 52.4 eFG% and 55.7 TS% Kobe: 49.1 eFG% and 55.9 TS%, League Average: 49 eFG% and 53.5 TS% MJ: 48.4 eFG% and 56.2 TS%, League Average: 48.8 eFG% and 53.8 TS% This isn't even factoring in seasons Harden has averaged 10+ assists, and he's done that many times. Harden is a very capable defender when he tries. For majority of the game Harden plays defense but allows blowbys to avoid risking picking up fouls. Due to his heavy minutes, especially when he was in Houston, harden lacked in defense to avoid getting fouls, which is why he is known as a bad defender. However, in late game situations, especially in the playoffs, he locks in and is one of the better perimeter defensive players in the league. As for his post defense, he has been number one in the league statistically since 2019, and has even been second in the league in perimeter isolation points allowed per possession in 2020. In addition to all of that, he is an extremely smart player defensively. He knows when to help, where other players need to stand and is known for his defensive communication. His Houston rockets had the number one defense in the playoffs and in the bubble of 2020. Statistically James has been top 5 in steals for many seasons, number one in deflections for a few years, and has the most blocks by any guard since joining Houston. He has crucial defensive saves in important games including against Giannis, Porzingis, in game 7 of okc thunder, and even against embiid in the 2020 rockets 76ers matchup, where embiid got in a little skirmish with him after harden stopped him on back to back possessions. He may not play it the whole game, but when he tries harden is a top defender in almost every aspect, and a beneficial one to have on the court due to his intelligence. And people talking bout his defense are idiots, hes locked up and then shit on Kawhi/PG/Beverly in a 1v3 lmaoooo he has the most points on every team too plus like 3 years of 10+ assists and the others are 8-9 assists on top of 30-36.6 points. He's the only one who even challenged the KD Era warriors and lost because of blatant ref fixing and Ariza going 0-12 on wide open threes generated by Harden along with his second best player CP3 going down and Capela getting sonned by a rookie Looney. Harden was literally dunking on draymond all day and dray got pissed and shoved him like 30 seconds into a game because he got scored on twice fast. That's not even mentioning all that happened while facing the KD warriors who had 5 star players, 2 of which were the number one and number two best shooters in the history of the league, Dpoy draymond, a top 2-3 scorer in Durant, Iggy dpoy. Then waiving off 12 of Hardens points but not making the same call if he missed the 3...blatant lmao Harden has been a top 3 hardest working player for the past 10 years. Just because he likes strip clubs and partying doesn't mean he disregards practice and conditioning. This sub is just going with assuming narratives instead of taking 5 minutes to find out that Harden's workouts have been Kobe-levels insane for many seasons, doing HIT lifting after having played 40 minutes in an NBA game with historic usage and scoring rate for entire seasons because the durability demanded from Harden forced him to be insanely well conditioned. There are countless stories as well as statements by his staff and teammates about it, it's just easier to shit on a player for partying instead. Literally everybody who's ever played with Harden attests to his one-of-a-kind work ethic. The reason Harden has been struggling are injuries and playing through them as well as the miles on his body but it's 10000% not because he's lazy. He ONCE forced Houstons hand for 3 weeks because they wouldn't trade him despite his demands many months before the situation escalated. Other than that he's been more than textbook when it comes to work ethic, you don't become such a legendary offensive Superstar without working your ass off every day for many years. And yes Harden can come back, he's one of the most skilled players ever and he works out like a madman
@tisanbobai86438 ай бұрын
TLDR
@reasondro8 ай бұрын
HOLY SHIT HAHAHA NO WAY YOU WROTE THAT
@pradk91578 ай бұрын
Oh my god
@d4v1do8 ай бұрын
Naaaah bro wrote an essay this has to be AI
@Moplicker978 ай бұрын
Nah this is ridiculous
@mofocardinal8 ай бұрын
Hey is that Clayton Crowley I hear?
@warblade0448 ай бұрын
Not just saying this because I am a Clippers fan, but this was a little unfair to Harden with his time in Brooklyn and Philly. With Brooklyn, the narrator did get it right that the Nets were dysfunctional. He asked for a trade after KD had demanded a trade in that prior offseason and wanted Steve Nash fired from the head coach position. There was also the issue of Kyrie playing/not playing due to not getting vaccinated for COVID and his propensity to take random days off. Nobody in their right mind would NOT want out of that dysfunctional situation. With regards to Philly, the narrator and everyone else in the media conveniently forget that Embiid was hurt and missed some games in the playoffs. Harden put up a couple of 40 point games. He also had beef with Morey due to apparently Morey reneging on a promise to pay him for him taking his taking less. With Houston, I put blame on him for that. Due to the multiple trade demands, Harden is unfavorable and has bad optics, but don't forget the nuance and facts of the situation. You're honestly painting with an EXTREMELY broad brush here. Plus, if the Clippers win the championship this year, nobody will care what this video has to say anymore.
@connorobrien87638 ай бұрын
I hate the narrative that Westbrook will give you “ everything he has “ He will give you everything he has… In the ways that he wants to, he still is a terrible defender even though he has the tools not to be, and he was on the Lakers he set like a single digit number of screens for the whole year… One of the only ways, a non-shooter like him can really get involved in the offense when he doesn’t have the ball in his hands. This in my opinion, is the crux of why he is not a winning player
@jamesgarde84958 ай бұрын
IT'S A TIE. BOTH ARE HALL OF FAMERS.
@okcthunder08728 ай бұрын
Ironically both their careers kinda eclipse in a way if you think about it, although harden won more series as the best player on the team, they are both notoriously known for stinking it up in the playoffs, both players were on a decline at the same time period until they both found a way to remain valuable again, with Russ sacrificing off the bench and with harden willingly taking a backseat to embiid and now Kawhi and PG, Russ triple doubles kinda equals out harden averaging 36 PPG and 30+ PPG at that, despite the multiple 40 and 50 point games from harden, they both peaked within the same time period 2016-2020 that 4 year gap
@leebishop99096 ай бұрын
There are only 25 players in the history of the NBA that scores 25k points and Harden and Westbrook are in that 25. They both made the top 75 list of players as well. They are both first ballot future hall a famers so at the end of the day they both did great
@ActivBowser91778 ай бұрын
Clayton Crowley back with another superb analysis!
@chev54518 ай бұрын
i like clayton crowley, please continue letting him make videos and please continue giving him money
@karemflowers86988 ай бұрын
Westbrook has an overall winning record...
@vanwilder2058 ай бұрын
If you think Westbrook. You probably just don’t like harden or a in denial okc fan. Numbers and wins don’t lie
@marktimmons4787 ай бұрын
Give me the guy that gives 110% every single game and doesn't quit. Harden obviously is the better player but has proven to play when he feels like playing.
@STEP_BACK_38 ай бұрын
It's not even close. Hardin was the better scorer and playmaker. He actually made the guys around him better instead of just filling the stat the sheet more importantly he won more. Hardens prime years in Houston had the team at the top of the Western conference every year. People, playoff joker but if you actually look at his record and what he's done in the playoffs and can you compare him to players like and Embid, Luca, westbrook and Lillard. You'll see that he was a far better playoff performer. I remember he was the soul star on his team he didn't have a superstar beside him to carry the team with after Dwight left. People forget there was about a 3 to 4 year span where he was the best player in the NBA. Harden winning a single MVP was bs. And Harden was an average defender. This crap about him being one of the worst ever is just bs
@shaiguy908 ай бұрын
Super smart move bringing in Clayton. Dude is the GOAT of basketball KZbin.
@gb1style8 ай бұрын
Love this video The OKC trio was actually balanced that’s the lesson there KD to rise as a leader the most efficient and the killer Westbrook to defer in the critical moments and focus on rebounds and defense with his relentless display every second Harden to be the floor general in
@BoskoShabazz8 ай бұрын
Harden’s career is better and it’s not all that close
@oftfnas8 ай бұрын
It’s Harden but Russ is Him too
@MazdaspeedMikeLe8 ай бұрын
Russ gets standing ovations when he comes off the bench in OKC and Washington from his former team's fans.
@Not4K195 ай бұрын
I think he did more criticism than explaining who had the better career
@LunarLeahy118 ай бұрын
Clayton Crowley on BR. WOW!!
@pabloscobar9588 ай бұрын
Harden, no contest
@Mannndoesports8 ай бұрын
I actually went in to this video thinking I’d disagree. I’m a big Westbrook fan, and for years I have sat with thinking the naysayers are correct. And honestly, if you go ask around many people would say harden. But the end of this video has been and will always be my stance in this debate. I would much rather a player that would go out swinging. The bubble run when they were teammates in Houston sealed it for me. Harden went to his pass and stand there routine while Russ went out at least fighting Vs the eventual champs Lakers.
@gandof3058 ай бұрын
It’s Harden and not close. Russ is great though.
@billytumorenito8 ай бұрын
Overall by number Russ !! More rebound , more assist !! More point !! Better defense
@ken587638 ай бұрын
Great video clayton
@virgiliobiong48723 ай бұрын
Yes i pick Russ
@stevenkapp47198 ай бұрын
So glad to see Clayton Crowley here. May he enjoy many happy returns.
@Myrocke242 ай бұрын
U didn't mention russ never had a team built around him like harden did in his prime.... big difference in their career
@Jbuckets_11ny8 ай бұрын
All I got to say if Westbrook And harden didn’t had to go against gsw they would not have this must hate imagine kd got less hate then Westbrook and harden smh
@krzysztofkaplinski86038 ай бұрын
Westbrick is a stat padder and Harden is a born Play off chocker so its a hard choice
@imasavage958 ай бұрын
Lol
@samuelottah63218 ай бұрын
You can say harden is better than westbrick. Oh pardon me I mean Westbrook.
@krzysztofkaplinski86038 ай бұрын
maaaaaaybe. he doesnt play from the bench so maybe you are right :P IDK neither got a champ ring and thats what matter so if they win this season its a tie I guess... but I would put russ in the starting 5 its thats a 7th game tbh@@samuelottah6321
@EhhSenpai8 ай бұрын
This essay is so cap. Speakee doesn't acknowledge that both players were ironmen playing nearly 40 minutes a night and a majority of games. Hardens Defense was a result of having to rest on defense at time because he did so much be in Houston he was a leader in steals and deflections various times. Further, saying Harden didn't find success anywhere else is a lie. In Brooklyn pre-injury he was a top 3 MVP candidate and finished 2nd is Assist per game and was an Allstar. In Philly he was a 10 MVP candidate and won the Assist title while averaging 22-11-8 (should have been a Allstar). Harden has been successful everywhere he's been. Saying otherwise screams mainstream narrative pushing. Also, saying Harden quit in HOU, BK, PHI is disingenuous Houston - the organization was being cheap and didn't have the roster to compete. Also Owner had beef with D'Antoni and Morey. BKN- covid, Kyrie, organizational disfunction was the cause of the break up not Harden PHI - A person he trusted lied to him and played with his money
@PaulMaree8 ай бұрын
By far the best content that Bleacher Report have ever put out.
@Swish24088 ай бұрын
Russ best playoff game was in the finals of 2012 where he scored 43 in a losing fashion
@alexsparta69658 ай бұрын
Its Harden easily
@Orion26DML8 ай бұрын
Perfect video
@jamesfillipovich18138 ай бұрын
Dude named every single way a man can possible score n then said “kinda boring” 😂😂😂 man first take ruined yall
@ralphM11148 ай бұрын
Russ all day
@ossieldelvalle12318 ай бұрын
I’ve always loved Westbrooks game because he tries his absolute hardest
@LordofHogwarts8 ай бұрын
Jokic is coming after that triple double record tho
@d4v1do8 ай бұрын
Harden had the higher peak but russ had the better career
@charles48308 ай бұрын
In fairness to Russ, much of his bad rep about shooting only happened when he was with the Lakers. That being said, he was never the franchise player he was portrayed to be. Hardwork cannot cover lack of talent all the time.
@S532-DISPOSITION8 ай бұрын
Idgaf what anybody say 100% of the players in the league rn who's name isn't Westbrook if they try to get a triple a double every single night they can't do it
@sherris95987 ай бұрын
why do people always have to put one person down and lift the other one up= i like both and they are brother and love each other, I was in Oklahoma when they both played together, they where so young they didnt realy understand how to play together but now they are older and they are doing good together. both are MVP
@jakubkula25708 ай бұрын
after Harden went to huston, he was better than russ every single season till today (yeah even the year westbrook got his statpadded mvp)
@pollenmalungans79858 ай бұрын
I know that voice anywhere...Clayton👊🏾
@BigBoyDanny1238 ай бұрын
Clayton!!! Congrats and well deserved big kan
@carmacksanderson39378 ай бұрын
Would be nice if Clayton and his channel were credited in the description
@mangobeepoppin27128 ай бұрын
Russ had people the NBA so mad from not only his triple doubles. But also how aggressively he attacked the rim with dunks. That an announcer flat out lost it and said some racist ish on live television after he dunked. “Russel Westbrook you must be out of your ______ picking mind!” They even asked who pissed in this guys Cheerios to make him play like this 😂
@TTJJCC8 ай бұрын
If I'm not mistaken, that was Russ' team announcer.
@VICTORZITOSS8 ай бұрын
Just commenting ti show support
@adireddy76778 ай бұрын
Clayton Crowley>. Great basketball analysis and storytelling.