June 5, 201214 yr Author Meeks was a better shooter. Never questioned that, although their career numbers from deep in college are a lot more similar than that one season Meeks went nuts. The advantages for Meeks end there. Harden was a better finisher, rebounder, passer, defender and whatever else you want to list. You don't see a huge difference in 4.2 assists per game compared to 1.8? 5.6 boards to 3.4? More steals and blocks? Harden also took 116 less shots on the season and still put up 20 per game. It isn't all that close when comparing the better overall player...
June 5, 201214 yr Meeks was a better shooter. Never questioned that, although their career numbers from deep in college are a lot more similar than that one season Meeks went nuts. The advantages for Meeks end there. Harden was a better finisher, rebounder, passer, defender and whatever else you want to list. You don't see a huge difference in 4.2 assists per game compared to 1.8? 5.6 boards to 3.4? More steals and blocks? Harden also took 116 less shots on the season and still put up 20 per game. It isn't all that close when comparing the better overall player... Meeks only really had one full season as a college starter. You really listed more steals and blocks as ammo when the margin is 0.2 for one and 0.4 the other? The distinct advantages for Meeks lie in points scored, outside shooting and shooting at the foul line. Harden has clear advantages in rebounding and assists but it ends there doesn't it? Numbers certainly don't lie and I don't care how much rambling you put in that paragraph, the numbers are extremely comparable.
June 5, 201214 yr Author Meeks only really had one full season as a college starter. You really listed more steals and blocks as ammo when the margin is 0.2 for one and 0.4 the other? The distinct advantages for Meeks lie in points scored, outside shooting and shooting at the foul line. Harden has clear advantages in rebounding and assists but it ends there doesn't it? Numbers certainly don't lie and I don't care how much rambling you put in that paragraph, the numbers are extremely comparable. The advantages in points scored are evened out by taking a ton more shots. Project Harden to fire away at the same clip and the 3 ppg difference vanishes. And did Harden have more steals and blocks or not? You brought stats into it. Harden was better in both. Taking a shot at the length of the post instead of the reality that Harden was better at everything but shooting from the perimeter and the charity stripe shows you know exactly how weak your argument is...
June 6, 201214 yr The advantages in points scored are evened out by taking a ton more shots. Project Harden to fire away at the same clip and the 3 ppg difference vanishes. And did Harden have more steals and blocks or not? You brought stats into it. Harden was better in both. Taking a shot at the length of the post instead of the reality that Harden was better at everything but shooting from the perimeter and the charity stripe shows you know exactly how weak your argument is... Harden wasn't better at scoring the ball. FG% really isn't that far off and Meeks averaged almost four more points while playing less minutes. One was a 1st team All-American and the other a 2nd-teamer, you are acting like we are comparing an All-American to a scrub. Completely different players and Harden certainly has the edge, but for that year in college, it's not a crazy difference.
June 6, 201214 yr Author Harden wasn't better at scoring the ball. FG% really isn't that far off and Meeks averaged almost four more points while playing less minutes. One was a 1st team All-American and the other a 2nd-teamer, you are acting like we are comparing an All-American to a scrub. Completely different players and Harden certainly has the edge, but for that year in college, it's not a crazy difference. He played less minutes and took MORE shots. If Harden takes the same number of shots there is no difference in their PPG even though Meeks was on fire from 3 that year. Harden was at worst an equal scorer even though his % dipped from 3, and provided more every game with his advantage in assists and rebounds. That is how you determine the better player overall. It isn't really even a debate. Never said Meeks was a bad player, or that he didn't deserve his praise that year. Only said he was not the player Harden was, is or will be. Meeks had a great year as a junior, has turned it into a very nice role on a solid NBA team and should stick around for a while as a shooter. My problem was never with his game. Simply stated he wasn't the player Harden was then, and the gap is growing even wider by the minute in the NBA... :thumb:
June 6, 201214 yr The advantages in points scored are evened out by taking a ton more shots. Project Harden to fire away at the same clip and the 3 ppg difference vanishes. And did Harden have more steals and blocks or not? You brought stats into it. Harden was better in both. Taking a shot at the length of the post instead of the reality that Harden was better at everything but shooting from the perimeter and the charity stripe shows you know exactly how weak your argument is... Hey I know exactly what its like when someone rather talk about the length of a post, since their argument back usually would be weak.
June 14, 201214 yr Harden's ability to pass the ball and be a playmaker is underrated. He's known as a scorer, but I think he's the best passer on OKC's team.
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