Making the Case For James Harden As an NBA All-Star Starter
By Nick Villano
@nick_villano
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
James Harden has been one of the best players in the NBA this season. Despite missing half of his team, including Dwight Howard, he has driven the Houston Rockets to a 21-9 record through 30 games.
Harden has averaged 27.4 points per game, and there is no one else in the league who has scored that much. The scoring leader needs to be starting in the All-Star game — especially one as big as this year’s, since it is being held in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Harden is now considered a top five player in the league and there is no doubt he is the best shooting guard, so he needs to be an All-Star starter. He has worked hard to put himself in this position. He has overcome being traded early in his career and being given the keys to the Rockets as their leader. Now, he has them fourth in one of the best Western Conferences in league history.
Harden is doing so much more than scoring this season. His rebounding is the best it has ever been at 6.1 per game. That is close to a rebound and a half more than he has ever averaged in a season. He is also helping everyone else score, as his assist numbers are better than they have ever been as well. His 6.9 dimes show his rise to the rank of best SG in the NBA.
There should be no question that Harden is a starter for the game at the Barclays Center. The fans love him, and he is leading a team in a top 10 market. He is a true superstar, and superstars need to be All-Star starters.
Nick Villano is the New Jersey Devils writer for Rant Sports. He also adds to the site’s NBA, MLB and NFL content. You can follow him on Twitter or add him to your Google circle.
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