murksiderock
Superstar
U still pushing Harden as better than Giannis?
One is getting arrested in Paris and hanging out with rap entourages the other is putting up historic NBA Finals numbers
I mean I already laid out my case for Harden...
They play different positions so it's pointless comparing their games at face value. Again the Houston Rockets franchise was a doormat until Harden showed up, and they are that once again, yet in 8 years he had them in the postseason every year and gave us about 4 years they were viable contenders in the tougher bracket...
The Bucks made the postseason the year before Giannis arrived, and in two of the 4 previous years before his arrival, and made the playoffs with him as a role player in '15 before he started ascending to what he's become. This was an organization in better shape in the weaker conference, Harden demonstrated a better floor raising effort capped by being on the tougher side and more wins annually...
Giannis is having an outstanding Finals and this is the highest level of play we've seen him at in his already illustrious career, and ultimately this Finals showing is what's gonna cause the overreactions because people have short memories. I'm not a prisoner of the moment though, while other people are stuck on the numbers he produced his play in the '21 Semis was not some All-Time performance, several times that series he tried to choke it away to Brooklyn and was bailed out by benefit of having the healthier, deeper team. We saw him get outplayed by Durant, as has been the story of his career he gets outplayed in superstar matchups...
The story of this Finals is there is no comparable level of star on Phoenix to match his degree of play, and there is no defender on Phoenix who can really neutralize him or impact his movement. Which isn't his fault, understand I agree with you that you play who's in front of you, but this is that context I implore people to hold every superstar to; I'm not a prisoner of the moment because of what I'm seeing in this Finals...
Two things can be true, he's showed a maturity and elevation of his game in both the Finals and this postseason at large, to earn a place somewhere in All-Time discussion; and simultaneously we need to see more, he's in his 8th year with multiple choke jobs at his guidance and the year he seemingly puts it all together is a year where he had massive things in his favor each round. I dont have to see this Finals and anoint him to a lofty ranking when thus far this year's run has been the anomaly in his career----->he's never been this great as he's looked this Finals and he's never been this consistently great thru the duration of a postseason until this one, this isn't like a pattern of watching Giannis destroy nikkas every year while coming up short...
He's gotta show this is who he is. You and others are talking Top 20 based on resume when the very thing that puts guys on that level is consistent dominance, year over year, playoffs after playoffs. He's not there yet bro, that's not hating, I am a fan of his but I choose not to overreact to what he put on the board his first 7 years...
If you take his 8-year career and Beard's 8-year Rockets run the major difference is one (impending) got to and won a Finals. There is nothing else to point to, to make the definitive declaration of Giannis Antetokuonmpo as the greater historical player. We're acting like James Harden isn't one of the greatest scorers ever with a winning impact everywhere he's gone, I'm just not with acting like he's some dud and like Giannis has this unimpeachable playoff resume by comparison.....because he doesn't...
I still have Giannis behind Harden but it isnt by much and another great, lengthy playoff run while Harden is sitting at home or going out sad will probably skip him over Harden to me. But as it is, one run like this for the first time in an 8-year career isn't enough to put him over a guy I've watched be as great for longer to this point...
The fukk is this nikka smoking. Charging to the lane at maximum speed and power is not a basketball skill
