Eric Gordon vs. James Harden vs. Steph Curry

[Drummer_19]

Perception is a strange thing. Thats exactly what I think of Curry.

Heh, I thought the same of him watching him play for Davidson his final year of college (didn't think hes game would translate well and would end up struggling a bit like JJ Reddick did coming in) but watching him a ton last season he's really becoming a terrific playmaker and is able to create off the dribble well and well as being a terrific shooter. I mean I like Eric Gordon and like I stated before I don't think there's a massive difference between the 3 and maybe I just havn't watched enough of him last season when he was at his best but he just seems more of a chucker than the other 2. Curry has by far the highest Assist percentage out of the 3 and has pretty comparable scoring numbers (Has the higher efficiency across most categorys while also shouldering the highest usage out of the 3)

 

[September_Glory]

Consider these numbers for Gordon in 2011:

- 7th overall in efficiency amongst all SG's.
- 7th in usage rate amongst all SG's.
- 8th in TS% for starting SG's.

- Over a quarter of his possessions used a ball screen, which is great because he ranked in the top 10% of all players in PnR efficiency. (Because he is a willing passer, and he had Blake rolling to the rim)
- Also a top 15% shooter in catch-and-shoot situations.

So what you have is an already incredibly efficient scorer who has a lot of room for improvement. He is very average in terms of transition efficiency (too many turnovers) and is not a good off-the-ball screen user, tending to settle for unbalanced jumpers.

On his defense. I've seen him play a little bit. His size, although it can cause mismatch problems sometimes, is not that big of a deal. He is strong and quick and he fights for position. At the very least, I'll call him a neutral defender.

 

[September_Glory]

I think people have forgotton just how good Eric Gordon is.

Obviously right now Harden is the player in the best form of all of them and has an awesome niche on the OKC team, which is a contract year is all-powerful.

I've never really rated Curry in the echelon that Gordon and Harden are in.

Though I don't know if we ever actually will see that Eric Gordon again.

But if I was after a "franchise cornerstone", I'm picking Eric Gordon, after an epic physical.

If the question was who do I want to support my franchise cornerstone, James Harden. No question.

And Steph Curry . . . I dunno, I just don't see how he's ever going to be any less than a good shoot first point guard. Franchise nothing.

This makes a lot of sense.

You're right. Our perception depends a lot on the situation the guy gets placed into.

However I disagree with you on Curry. He needs to play next to a 2-guard who wants to defend and wants to share the basketball. The anti - Monta Ellis, if you will. Someone who will allow him to be the playmaker he is, and take the load off him on the defensive end of the floor.

Curry also needs to play with a big man who protects the rim and covers his mistakes. David Lee is not that guy and the Warriors have flubbed so many big men lottery picks I have lost count.

Until I see him on a real team, with a real NBA head coach, I still see him as the most talented of the three.

Perception is a strange thing.

 

[nufan]

Bias aside it's Gordon for me. Loved watching him play last season at the Clips before getting injured. Demps has the go ahead from the league to offer the max extension.

 

[Thewlis Dish]

Harden is outstanding. Is a bonafide 20-25 ppg scorer as a starter on another squad, plus handles and passes like a point. He is unbelievable at beating guys off the dribble and getting to the line too.

 

[RoyalCatFan]

Once Curry gets his body ok he will be fine, I think a Harden Curry backcourt would be pretty good actually.

Even though Curry's ankle is still average he was still able to put up 32 Points today to beat the Blazers. I think the actual Order would be Curry = Gordon > Harden. Im not sure Harden could Carry an offence like Curry and Gordon have shown they can.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

Curry isn't in the same galaxy as Harden.

 

[Spriteftw3]

Once Curry gets his body ok he will be fine, I think a Harden Curry backcourt would be pretty good actually.

Even though Curry's ankle is still average he was still able to put up 32 Points today to beat the Blazers. I think the actual Order would be Curry = Gordon > Harden. Im not sure Harden could Carry an offence like Curry and Gordon have shown they can.

Gordon was a #1 option on a team that sucked oh so bad.... while playing big minutes. Harden playing off the bench is only scoring 5 or so points less than what Gordon was and he has the likes of KD and Westbrook ahead of him... Harden that is.

 

[Drummer_19]

Curry isn't in the same galaxy as Harden.

Gordon was a #1 option on a team that sucked oh so bad.... while playing big minutes. Harden playing off the bench is only scoring 5 or so points less than what Gordon was and he has the likes of KD and Westbrook ahead of him... Harden that is.

On the flipside of that you can argue that coming off the bench he's play a lot of his minutes against oppositions softer line ups vs playing his majority of time vs starters and when he is on the court vs starters being the 3rd option on the court behind Durant & Westbrook opens him up to a lot more open shots than Gordon would be getting and also Gordon probably having to take a higher percentage of rushed/bad shots when offenseive possessions break down and he just has to chuck something up before the shotclock expires.

 

[WALL-e]

Man I love these three bloke.

Injury seems to have curbed them all at some stage and I have legit worries about Steph's ankles. That said...

Gordon was doing crazy work for the Clips and has been outshadowed by Blake and the CP3 trade. He was seriously ballin! He's a flat out scorer who passes well and makes good decisions. Underated by a lot in the A.

Harden seems like the most rounded of the three at both ends, but he's had the luxury of coming off the bench for a playoff team, not having to shoulder the burden. That also means he has to defer to KD and Chuckbrook a lot which drag his scoring numbers down, so it can be a double edged sword.

Curry is a straigh jet when fit, great handles, good passes and a flat out threat from 3 with the ability to get to the rim. Good size for a point and he is a point which separates him from the others.

When fit, I almost have to go Curry because of a PG's importance rather than a 2 guard, but it really is a touch decision. While Harden is a personal fav, I have to go (when fit) Curry, Gordon, Harden, but it's that close I could really write that properly.

 

[Brad Goodman]

Harden > Westbrook

 

[Sainters12]

Harden > Westbrook

No, just no.

 

[peternorth]

Eric seemed like a likable person in LAC. Then he turned sour after arriving in NOH. I hope this young man right here doesnt turn into an absolute sourpuss/sook. feel sorry for him really.

curry. a shoot first undersized guard. seems like a lovely bloke though, and has great bloodlines.

harden. aside from immature jokes about his name he has a great beard. doesnt seem fazed with coming off the bench. a bearded version of lamar (before he went nuts).

after careful consideration may i choose cash considerations, a 2020 second round drak pick and a trade exception

 

[Theseventhhamster]

Harden > Westbrook

Yep. Must be the PPG that people can't see past. He's elite.

 

[September_Glory]

Yep. Must be the PPG that people can't see past. He's elite.

Harden is blowing up this year and deserves credit no doubt.

Westbrook was All-NBA Second Team last year. As in a top 10 (certainly top 15) player in the league.

Not sure you can put Harden that high... yet.

 

[Upgrayedd]

I absolutly love Harden as well...but jeez he's not with Gordon/Curry yet guys.

 

[ceebs]

I absolutly love Harden as well...but jeez he's not with Gordon/Curry yet guys.

I don't see why not, harden was playing this well last season as well after the jeff green/perkins trade allowing him to play more minutes. He's also shown that he can perform in playoffs, he was destroying Dallas in spurts in last years WCF.

 

[Thewlis Dish]

I don't see why not, harden was playing this well last season as well after the jeff green/perkins trade allowing him to play more minutes. He's also shown that he can perform in playoffs, he was destroying Dallas in spurts in last years WCF.

He hasn't played on a poor team with lots of shots available though.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

Harden is blowing up this year and deserves credit no doubt.

Westbrook was All-NBA Second Team last year. As in a top 10 (certainly top 15) player in the league.

Not sure you can put Harden that high... yet.

Harden's better than Westbrook at every facet of the game. OKC are one of the worst coached teams in the league.

 

[PHX]

Seems Westbrook has become criminally underrated because of last years playoff debacle he had. He's still the same Westbrook, if not better, and the Thunder will come into this years playoffs knowing exactly what they're getting into.

The extension for Westbrook is worth every cent.

 

[Drummer_19]

Harden's better than Westbrook at every facet of the game. OKC are one of the worst coached teams in the league.

$how your work.

 

[Brad Goodman]

Not denying Westbrook is a gun, but his ability to win a game is almost matched by his ability to lose one. Harden just seems more reliable.

 

[Thewlis Dish]

Westbrook has won the Thunder many, many more games than he has supposedly lost them. However his style of play is obviously going to look worse when it doesn't come off. He has probably knocked down as many clutch jumpers as KD in the past couple of seasons, despite his shooting being perceived as a weakness.

I think if you take away the erraticness in Russell's game, you also risk taking away his biggest strength, which is his unpredictability.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

$how your work.

Watch OKC when Durant and Westbrook are off the floor. He runs a team of Maynor, Cook, Collison etc and they put up historic levels of efficiency. He might only be behind Nash and Rubio at running the pick and roll. He has insane points per shot on every type of shot he attempts, he also has the best shot selection in the league.

 

[September_Glory]

I think if you take away the erraticness in Russell's game, you also risk taking away his biggest strength, which is his unpredictability.

This is correct. The "his greatest strength is also his biggest weakness" theory.

Westbrook's fiery competitiveness is what separates him from other young PG's.

That aggression attacking the basket is unmatched in terms of guard play (exception of D-Rose), but it does backfire sometimes. When his pull-up jumper is falling, he becomes unstoppable.

Not denying Westbrook is a gun, but his ability to win a game is almost matched by his ability to lose one. Harden just seems more reliable.

IMO, the ratio of Good Russelll/Neutral Russell/Bad Russell is something like 2:1:1. For every four games, his aggressive streak is going to help you win two, neutrally impact one and potentially lose you one (KD saves the day more often than not though).