Started By
Message

Is there another athlete in recent history that consistently disappears like Harden?

Posted on 5/12/23 at 1:52 pm
Posted by CalLSU
Shreveport, la
Member since Feb 2009
798 posts
Posted on 5/12/23 at 1:52 pm
I have been trying to think of another athlete that so consistently disappears in big moments like Harden and I am finding it difficult to think of anyone that comes close to him. Here are just some of his recent disappearing acts:
2012 NBA Finals - he went from averaging around 18 PPG in the playoffs to 12 in the finals, this includes game 4 with 8 points (2/10 shooting) in a game that they lost by 6 points.
2015 WCF game 5 2/11 shooting with 14 points and 12 turnovers!
2017 WCS after being down 2-3 has a game 6 to remember: 10 points 6 turnovers on a whopping 2/11 shooting! Trevor Ariza took more shots than him!
2018 WCF after building a 3-2 game lead in game 6 has an outstanding 32 point game on 10/24 shooting (4/12 3) with 9 turnovers!
2019 WCS in the deciding game 6 did have 35 points but was 11/25 and 6/15 on 3 pointers!
2020 WCS after being down 2-1 in the important game 4, has 21 points on 2/11 shooting including 1/6 3 pointers!
2021 ECS after building a 3-2 game lead, in game 6, has 16 points and in game 7 has 22 on 5/17 shooting including 2/12 from 3. To put this in perspective, his teamate, KD had 48 points in game 7 and 32 in game 6.
2022 ECS after the series was tied 2-2, proceeded to have the following games - 14 points with a +/- of -29. Game 6 - 11 total points with a +/- of -16!
To top it all off, last night, with his team one-win away from the ECF, had a memorable game of 13 points on 4/16 shooting! He also had a +/- of -10, which was tied with Tobias Harris for worst on the team!

Is there any other player in NBA history that is this consistent in completely shrinking when the stage is the biggest?
Posted by idlewatcher
County Jail
Member since Jan 2012
79134 posts
Posted on 5/12/23 at 1:57 pm to
Funny you didn't mention his Game 4 3 pointer to win the game.
Posted by VolsOut4Harambe
Atlanta, GA
Member since Sep 2017
12856 posts
Posted on 5/12/23 at 1:58 pm to
quote:

Harden


Mental midget
Posted by James11111
Walnut Creek
Member since Jul 2020
4659 posts
Posted on 5/12/23 at 2:00 pm to
quote:

I am finding it difficult to think of anyone that comes close to him.


Sucks that Boom is on vacation. He's pretty knowledgeable on the subject.
This post was edited on 5/12/23 at 2:02 pm
Posted by CalLSU
Shreveport, la
Member since Feb 2009
798 posts
Posted on 5/12/23 at 2:01 pm to
The thing is, I was ready to turn the page on Harden due to his 2 really great games this series, but then he reverts right back to his normal in games 6 and also in game 3. Game 3 was just as bad as game 6 - 3/14 shooting 2/7 from 3. 16 points and 5 turnovers. +/- of -12, 2nd worst on the team. Every time I think he is going to turn the corner, he turns right back into a pumpkin and disappears!
Posted by sicboy
Because Awesome
Member since Nov 2010
77589 posts
Posted on 5/12/23 at 2:02 pm to
quote:

Sucks that Boom is on vacation. He's pretty knowledgable on the subject.



I'll summarize what his response would be: was someone else's fault
This post was edited on 5/12/23 at 2:02 pm
Posted by DownSouthCrawfish
Simcoe Strip - He/Him/Helicopter
Member since Oct 2011
36364 posts
Posted on 5/12/23 at 2:02 pm to
Does he get any credit for 2 game winners?
Posted by CalLSU
Shreveport, la
Member since Feb 2009
798 posts
Posted on 5/12/23 at 2:02 pm to
Where has boom gone? I keep waiting for him to come back, especially with the 2 game-winners from Harden this series! Was he kicked off the site?
Posted by sicboy
Because Awesome
Member since Nov 2010
77589 posts
Posted on 5/12/23 at 2:03 pm to
quote:

Does he get any credit for 2 game winners?



That's kind of the point. Bill Simmons joked this week that Harden and AD are locks for the all NBA yo-yo team.
Posted by WaterLink
Baton Rouge
Member since Sep 2015
17251 posts
Posted on 5/12/23 at 2:04 pm to
2017 was by far the most inexplicable and inexcusable. Looked as if he had money on the Spurs or something.
Posted by Broski
Member since Jun 2011
70901 posts
Posted on 5/12/23 at 2:05 pm to
Look up Devin Booker's stats in games where the Suns are facing elimination.
Posted by ReauxlTide222
St. Petersburg
Member since Nov 2010
83462 posts
Posted on 5/12/23 at 2:05 pm to
He’s been around all playoffs
Posted by ThanosIsADemocrat
The Garden
Member since May 2018
9395 posts
Posted on 5/12/23 at 2:15 pm to
quote:

Sucks that Boom is on vacation. He's pretty knowledgeable on the subject


Boom doesn’t go on vacation until after elimination.

If Small Game James returns to Clutch City in the off-season, consider this the Summer of Boom.
Posted by FightinTigersDammit
Louisiana North
Member since Mar 2006
34670 posts
Posted on 5/12/23 at 5:47 pm to
Since his Super Bowl win, Aaron Rogers has been spotty in the playoffs
Posted by Tigerpride18
Lakewood Colorado
Member since Sep 2017
29448 posts
Posted on 5/12/23 at 5:58 pm to
Where. Have. All. The. Boo oooms gooone ooooooo
Posted by Slinger16
Not Louisiana
Member since Jun 2007
21868 posts
Posted on 5/12/23 at 8:42 pm to
Thurman Thomas jumps to mind.
Posted by Fbohn1
Member since Jun 2009
213 posts
Posted on 5/12/23 at 8:54 pm to
I’m an Astros fan, and WS Verlander could be frustrating.
Posted by JakeFromStateFarm
*wears khakis
Member since Jun 2012
11910 posts
Posted on 5/12/23 at 9:14 pm to
Clayton Kershaw.
Posted by Bench McElroy
Member since Nov 2009
33941 posts
Posted on 5/12/23 at 9:22 pm to
Marvin Harrison had two touchdowns in 16 career postseason games and both of those TDs came in the same game (41-10 win against Broncos). He didn't score a single TD in 15 of his 16 postseason games. People blamed Manning for "choking" in the playoffs but the big issue was that their #1 WR became a complete ghost in the playoffs. When Wayne became the Colts clear cut #1 WR, the performance of Manning and the Colts offense improved by leaps and bounds in the playoffs.
Posted by metallica81788
NO
Member since Sep 2008
8457 posts
Posted on 5/12/23 at 9:25 pm to
Aaron Rodgers gets zero heat for his playoff performances since his SB win
first pageprev pagePage 1 of 2Next pagelast page

Back to top
logoFollow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to get the latest updates on LSU Football and Recruiting.

FacebookTwitterInstagram