James Harden Steve Nash
Photo: Twitter/NBA

James Harden is one of the most gifted offensive players the NBA has ever seen. On the other hand, his commitment to defense is often questioned. The stats uncover an interesting correlation to him joining the Brooklyn Nets and the team’s defensive performances.

According to StatMuse, since Harden joined the team, the Nets have the worst defensive rating in the league at 119.9. This would be the worst rating of all time. Things are different on the offensive end where Brooklyn has the best rating in the league which is also the best historically (122.6).

Interestingly, the Houston Rockets have significantly improved their defensive raking since the Harden trade. Over the period of nine games, the Rockets have the best defensive rating in the NBA. However, when it comes to success on the court, both Houston and Brooklyn have won 6 and lost 3 games.