Whatever the level, even at the youngest, basketball coaches insist on the “triple threat”. When a player has the ball in hand, he has three threats at his disposal: shooting, passing and dribbling. To be as dangerous as possible, you must constantly play on your three threats. And when we call each other James Hardenwe even have a fourth threat in our arsenal.
“For me, it’s an adjustment. In attack, I have the 3-point ball » he explained after the Clippers' victory in Game 4. “But if they want to prevent me from taking a 3-point shot, I can go into the paint, I can shoot from mid-distance and I have the floater. But if they climb on top of me and help, I get a pass. So it’s a four-step process to think about. Everything happens so fast but most of the time I make the right decision. »
The return of the “floater”
Having become more of a passer than a scorer for the Sixers and the Clippers, James Harden has seemingly found the right balance in the series against the Mavericks. Kawhi Leonard absent in Games 1 and 4, James Harden must provide more danger, and his last quarter is a model of its kind.
In the Clippers' victory, he scored 15 points on 6 of 8 shots, including five floaters. He had only scored one in the entire series! His changes of pace and his support made the difference in getting to the circle. Sometimes even with the fault.
“They weren't helping, so I had the opportunity to make this type of shot” responds James Harden about his assassin “floaters” in the last quarter. “It's something I'm constantly working on and I've had a few other opportunities where I've preferred to pass. But in the last five minutes, I knew I had to shoot. »
Great efficiency and little waste
By this ability to be as dangerous by passing as by shooting, James Harden puts the Mavericks defense on its heels, but also on alert.
When he rushes towards the circle from the free throw line, it's hard to know if he's going to shoot or send Mason Plumlee or Ivica Zubac to the alley-oop. Exactly like in Houston when he combined with Clint Capela.
“That’s what James is here for,” explained Tyronn Lue before the in-between. “When PG or Kawhi or one of our best players is out, James has to be able to step up and score, create plays, make things easier for Norm (Powell) and Zu (Ivica Zubac) and Mace (Mason Plumlee) and all those guys.”
After four games, James Harden seems to have found the right balance: 26 points on 54% shooting, including 50% from 3-point range, 7 assists, 4 rebounds and “only” 2.3 lost balls per game. In 41 minutes.
