On Monday’s “First Take” debate show on ESPN, former NBA player and current league analyst Kendrick Perkins was back to delivering his hottest of hot takes while the NB is still currently on hiatus to the coronavirus.
Kendrick Perkins offered a passionate defense of Houston Rockets star and nine-time All-Star James Harden was actually superior to Stephen curry.
“With all due respect to the two-time MVP, the best shooter of all-time in Steph Curry, and a three-time NBA champion, to me it’s apples and oranges.
When you look at the body of work that James Harden has put in since the day he stepped foot in the city of Houston, it’s crazy. Even before Mike D’Antoni, James Harden was averaging 25+ [points] a night and carrying the Rockets on his back.
When you think about James Harden, he’s going to go down as one of the best scorers in NBA history. Let’s compare the two. James is a better scorer than Steph Curry, he’s a better rebounder, and he’s a better facilitator.”
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He continued:
“When I’m looking at the all-around player, the skillset, and who brings more to the table, it’s James Harden. It’s proven. As soon as he stepped foot into the Rockets’ franchise, he made that franchise relevant again. He’s a better all-around player than Steph Curry.
I was watching games this year where teams were pulling out playoff schemes on James Harden. They were trapping him when he was crossing halfcourt. You don’t see that in today’s game, or in the history of the NBA. You see it in the playoffs, but in regular-season games, teams were trapping Harden to get the ball out of his hands.”
Since the 2017-18 season, Harden has averaged 33.7 points per game, leading the NBA in points per game each season.
He not only earned NBA MVP honors in 2018, but also his average point, assists and rebounds have all been higher than Curry’s during that span.
