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Harden would torch guys in those days. Think about it - Mitch Richmond was unreal back then scoring loads of buckets. Harden is faster, with 3's off the dribble, with deeper range and better handles than Mitch. There were really only three great perimeter defenders with length in the 90's - Pippen, MJ and the Glove. I still think Harden scores on those guys pretty easily minus Pippen. The game has just evolved that much.

If you can't defend the perimeter at least decently, you can't stay on the floor now. And Harden still scores at will. Just imagine how much he would score on Ehlo, Price, Mark Jackson, Reggie, etc.

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False.

Many of harden’s points come off drives and free throws. Contact rules would’ve prevented a lot of his drives and the refs wouldn’t have bailed him out for his flopping.

Plus, hed play only half a quarter before Ewing, Zo, Scottie/Jordan, the pistons, Malone, shaq, Dream, Barkley, would’ve knocked him on his ***.

The nba game was so much more physical back then. Harden relies on driving against air (or receiving a whistle to the free throw line).
 
False.

Many of harden’s points come off drives and free throws. Contact rules would’ve prevented a lot of his drives and the refs wouldn’t have bailed him out for his flopping.

Plus, hed play only half a quarter before Ewing, Zo, Scottie/Jordan, the pistons, Malone, shaq, Dream, Barkley, would’ve knocked him on his ***.

The nba game was so much more physical back then. Harden relies on driving against air (or receiving a whistle to the free throw line).

Perimeter defense was terrible in MJ's day. Sure, they allowed more touching and grabbing (unless it was MJ of course), but Harden's range would have opened up the game more for everybody else. I'm 40 so I got to see Reggie and all these guys play in their time. He couldn't hold a candle to Harden and Reggie absolutely torched teams even the Bulls.

And Harden isn't averaging that many more free throws than MJ was shooting back in the day. With star treatment playing like Harden plays, he'd still go to the line 10 times in that era.
 
Perimeter defense was terrible in MJ's day. Sure, they allowed more touching and grabbing (unless it was MJ of course), but Harden's range would have opened up the game more for everybody else. I'm 40 so I got to see Reggie and all these guys play in their time. He couldn't hold a candle to Harden and Reggie absolutely torched teams even the Bulls.

And Harden isn't averaging that many more free throws than MJ was shooting back in the day. With star treatment playing like Harden plays, he'd still go to the line 10 times in that era.
I think comparing James Harden's regular season stats vs James Harden's playoff stats gives a good insight into how Harden does in more physical environments. Last year for example in his MVP season he put up an insane 30.4/5.4/8.8 on 61.9TS% with 1.8 STLs/0.7 BLKs/4.4 TOs in 35.4 minutes a night. Come playoff time he drops down to 28.6/5.2/6.8 on 54.8TS% with 2.2 STLs/0.6 BLKs/3.8 TOs a game. He'd still be pretty incredible in the 90s era with his ability to space the floor and score at will in isolation situations, and if rules like the rip through and the continuation fouls/3pt fouls that got banned this decade were still around he'd find ways to get to the line like you said.

The biggest knock I've always had on Harden besides him being one of the more unwatchable superstars in the league when he's on his BS foul drawing rolls, is that for all the regular season stats he puts up he always struggle in the playoffs when calls weren't being made as much and teams were loading up on him. His game vs the Warriors was the first game I've ever watched Harden just completely dominate a national TV game in the clutch with his skill and not have to rely on the refs to bail him out on drives where he seeked contact all the time. Be interesting to see if that carries into the playoffs, as that was the most impressive thing I've seen James Harden do in a regular season game. Even moreso than his insane 50+ point triple doubles he's had the last couple of years.
 
I don’t remember the year. Just some regular season game, Jazz v Blazers. Wells got whatever he wanted.

this post got me watching Bonzi highlights (he was before my time)
 
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