Averaged 18 points per game! The "rocket boarding" that was once easy 30+ and 40+ may never come back

In the 20-year offseason, after years of fruitless pursuit of the championship, Harden decisively chose to follow the way James, Durant and other stars won the championship - to apply for a trade, trying to find an easier chance to win the championship. However, at that time, the Rockets were not willing to let Harden go in vain, and they were bent on using Harden to exchange for "superstar + first-round picks".

So much so that it was not until February 21 that Harden joined the Nets as he wished. I thought that the "peak" Harden joined the Nets, even if Irving and Durant took part of the ball, with his comprehensive strength, it was enough to make him the "real thigh" of the team and help the team win the championship trophy...

After joining the Nets, Harden did play a very "gratifying" effect - when Durant was injured for a long time and Irving was "absent for no reason" from time to time, he was able to average 24.6 points, 7.9 boards and 10.8 assists per game, 46.6% shooting rate + 36.2% three-point shooting rate, and led the Nets to stabilize the second place in the East.

21-year playoffs: The second round against the Bucks, a hamstring strain became a turning point in Harden's career

When Harden played a "superstar performance + excellent team performance" in the nets' first season, coupled with Durant who recovered from injury and Irving who returned to the court in time, the "Duoha" super big three was regarded as the most likely to win the championship in the outside world.

And in the first round of the 21-year series, Harden was sure to be able to play a super star performance - averaging 27.8 points per game, 7.2 boards, 10.8 assists, 55% shooting percentage, and teaming up with Durant and Irving to easily "gentlemanly sweep" Green Kai...

I just didn't expect Harden to strain his hamstring again in the second round, and after his forced comeback, he could no longer play the personal performance of the superstar. Compared to the first round of the playoffs, he averaged only 14.3 points, 6.7 boards, 8.0 assists per game against the Bucks, and a personal performance of 31.7% shooting.

Although Harden rebounds and assists can still maintain a certain level. But at this time, his help to the team on the offensive end has completely failed to reach the superstar level. However, at that time, the outside world firmly believed that even if Harden attacked the "crotch" in this series, as long as he recovered his health, he could still regain his previous omnipotent scoring king state.

Originally thought that the Nets vs Bucks series, Harden's sluggish performance on the offensive end was mainly due to the impact of "hamstring injury", as long as he was given a certain amount of time, he could still easily play the personal performance of the superstar.

But the outside world still underestimated the impact of injuries on Harden, after the start of the new season, although Harden's rebounding and assist data decline is not large, but his scoring and offensive efficiency, compared with before, there has been a great decline. Especially during the Nets period, Ha's debut fell to 22.5 points + 41.2% shooting percentage, and the offensive end completely lost its former style.

And even hardened in the first four games of joining Philadelphia, he played a very eye-catching offensive performance - averaging 26.7 points + 59.2% shooting per game, and his dream returned to the peak for a while. Unfortunately, Harden was unable to sustain it after all, and his personal performance continued to decline after that; in the end, throughout the season, Harden only delivered a personal performance of 22.0 points + 41.0% shooting.

However, the outside world still does not want to believe that Harden will fall into this, after all, during the Rockets period, he has been an average of 30+ points per game for many seasons, 30+, 40+ in a single game, for him it is as simple as chopping melons and cutting vegetables, it seems that as long as he plays, he can get 30 points...

22-year playoff: Averaging just 18 points per game, Harden was completely lost on the offensive end

In the first round of the playoffs this year, facing the defense of the Raptors, Ha can get 19 points, 5 boards and 10.1 assists, and 41.1% shooting percentage. When Embiid was on the floor (26.2 points + 52.0 percent shooting in the playoffs), Harden's poor offensive performance on the offensive end had limited impact on the team.

But when Embiid was absent due to a "right orbit fracture + slight concussion", whether Harden could play on the offensive end became the key to whether Philadelphia could advance. Knowing this, Harden's offensive threat still cannot be played.

Philadelphia vs Heat G1: Harden only scored 16 points on 5-of-13 shooting in a single game, although he got 9 boards and 5 assists, but had no presence on the offensive end; Philadelphia vs Heat G2: Harden shot 5-of-10 at half-time, scored 16 points at half-time, and seemed to find part of the offensive firepower of the "Rocket Den", but unfortunately in the second half, after the Heat strengthened their defense, Harden only shot 1-of-5, and the offensive performance of 4 points in the half.

Judging from Harden's personal performance in this year's playoffs, the "Rocket Deng" who was once able to easily cut 30+ and 40+ has now fallen to an average of 18.8 points + 40.2% shooting per game. Now Harden does not say that he has scored 30 points in a single game, and even 20 points in a single game cannot be guaranteed...

So, how did Harden, who once scored like chopping melons and chopping vegetables, fall to this point?

1. The league's penalty scale has changed, and Harden's "ruthless weakening" has been made. Before the new season officially began last year, the NBA officially issued new rules - take the initiative to hang up, pull the arm of the defensive player, or make a foul with an abnormal shot, deliberately tilting to the defensive player, etc., which will no longer be regarded as a defensive foul, and may even be blown offensive foul.

The change in the size of the league's penalty has also caused Harden, Trae Young and others to fall out of the "comfort zone". And in order to ensure the smooth strength of the new regulations, the NBA officials will also deliberately target Harden, Trae-Young and other "notorious" foul masters to a certain extent, which also led to the league once appeared "overcorrection" situation...

That is to say, Harden's offensive style and offensive choices in the new season have actually been "suppressed" by the league. Under the new rules, he simply can't combine "foul making" with his own scoring methods as in previous years, so as to play a more efficient offensive performance.

2, injury + weight impact, let Harden lose explosive power. Since Harden forced his comeback in the playoffs last year, he has not been able to play the offensive performance of the "Rocket Deng", which is enough to explain the impact of the hamstring injury on Harden. It's just that Harden's physical fitness has declined, in addition to injuries, the most important thing is that he has not controlled his weight.

According to previous reports, in the early 21-22 season, compared to the Rockets and the nets' first season, Harden was obviously lacking in explosiveness and slow to move, while Durant blamed harden's lack of control during the recovery period.

With the current size of Harden, compared with the size of the "Rockets", there is indeed a big gap between the two periods. After all, Harden, who was bent on winning the championship on his own, once trained himself into a "devil's flesh man".

However, last offseason due to "injury can not train + Harden is not disciplined enough", resulting in a further decline in his physical fitness, no longer the peak of the explosive power. Eventually losing explosiveness + overall physical fitness decline, but also directly led to Harden can no longer score at will...

3, a variety of targeted defense, so that Harden's self-confidence is hit hard. After the league's new rules + physical decline, Harden has been unable to pass every defender at will, and even it is difficult to break through the first line of defense. But even so, Spoo still "madly" built a human wall in front of Harden, and did not give him a chance to fight out.

And the repeated offensive setbacks are actually hitting Harden's self-confidence. Especially after Embiid retired from injury, Harden also knew that the premise of the team's victory was that he had to make a difference on the offensive end. But just like the series G2, once Harden's offense has signs of uplift, the Heat will immediately strengthen their defense and "cut off" Harden's offense at all costs...

The implementation of the new rules of the league + the decline in physical fitness has made Harden lose the explosive power of the "Rockets" period. Even if Harden loses the scoring ability of 40+ and 50+ in a single game, as long as he wants, under the accumulation of balls, he can still get more than 30 points.

But now the Heat's purpose is clear, which is to frantically "target" Harden and not let him easily score (although he is no longer the team's first scorer). After all, once Harden regains some offensive form, Philadelphia still has a chance to win.

Now, under the Heat's targeted defense, Harden seems to have become more reluctant to attack, whether his teammates run out of the empty position or not, he will want to pass the ball at the first time, rather than choose to attack himself.

In summary, the "implementation of the new rules of the league + the decline in physical fitness + the targeted defense of the opponent" has made Harden miserable on the offensive end. And from the current situation, this round of the series is almost impossible to count on the return of the "Rocket Board" and lead Philadelphia through the danger. Even once Harden is beaten to lose self-confidence, the "Rocket Board" who was once an easy 30+ or 40+ may really not come back...