James Harden has it all, consistency, grit and offensive prowess but one thing he doesn’t have is a NBA Championship ring. The Beard & Co are facing down the San Antonio Spurs in the second round of the playoffs, a team that, among many attributes has stand-out Kawhi Leonard who has what Harden lacks, a ring. The matchup between these two players was hyped the moment the second-round meeting was confirmed in the 2017 NBA Playoffs yet here are a few things to remember when comparing these two franchise players. Harden has more professional experience, being active in the league for seven series to Leonard’s five. Harden out-paces Leonard in points, rebounds and assists per game for the regular season. What Harden doesn’t have is a long-standing system. …show more content…
Head Coach Gregg Popovich is a veteran sideline conductor whose experience not only taking teams to the post season but winning championships has become a tradition in the Alamo City while James Harden was traded to the Houston Rockets in 2012 after spending his first three seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Harden hasn’t been guided by consistent veteran head coaches, instead he’s been the key piece for teams marching towards a championship, those teams have just come up short.
The Rockets may have stolen one on the road in Game 1 against the Spurs, but San Antonio’s success in the postseason is built on consistency, they know the playoffs are a marathon not a sprint and apparently so does James Harden. “Game 1 is good for us,” Harden said after blowing out San Antonio 126-99 on the road, “but we’ve got to get