James Harden
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Sports analyst Colin Cowherd gave his take on James Harden’s playoff appearances. According to him, the Houston Rockets superstar showed on multiple occasions that he is not built for the playoffs. Cowherd listed a number of playoff games when Harden failed to perform the way the Rockets needed him to perform.

“James Harden has let us down time and time again. 2017 Game 6 against the Spurs. He quit. Made two shots, only took eleven. Houston’s 3-2 up on Golden State. Remember that a couple of years ago? … Houston missed 27 straight threes. Harden was 2 of 13, he was dreadful. They had the champions,” Cowherd remembered Harden’s playoff stumbles.

“In 2015, the Rockets were down to the Clippers 3-1. Harden was so bad he had plus/minus minus 21. They benched him and the team came back without him. Last year against Golden State KD’s out, Steph doesn’t score in the first half, it’s Harden’s game to win. Steph was way better. By the way, the only time he was in the Finals, he was dreadful for Oklahoma City. He shot 37%.”

Cowherd also remembered Kobe Bryant saying ball centric style is exhausting and when the playoffs come a player loses his legs. “James Harden has lost his legs in the playoffs over and over and over,” he said. In addition, he pointed at the fact that The Beard ‘needs the whistle’ which he doesn’t get in the playoffs. “He’s not built for the playoffs,” Cowherd concluded.

This season, the Rockets and Harden will have another attempt at winning a championship. They are currently in sixth place with 40 wins and 24 losses.