Austin Rivers Defends James Harden's Postseason Shortcomings with Rockets

James Harden put together one of the most dominant stretches of individual play in recent memory, as a member of the Houston Rockets.

Certainly in the regular season. For eight seasons, Harden willed the franchise to the postseason, irrespective of what was around him.

In five of those seasons, the Rockets were a lock for 50 wins. In another season, the 2019-20 COVID-shortened season, they finished with a 50-win clip.

Harden had three different coaches during that span (Kevin McHale, JB Bickerstaff, Mike D'Antoni) and took two of them to the Western Conference Finals. Harden had an array of co-stars and consistently carried the Rockets to a top-four finish in the West.

Whether it was Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, or Russell Westbrook, the result was mostly the same.

Even in the 2016-17 campaign, when Harden didn't have another superstar on the roster, the Rockets won 55 games and finished third in the conference.

As a member of the Rockets, Harden ran into trouble in the postseason annually, mostly against the Golden State Warriors, who ended his season on four of his eight title runs. Harden's inability to reach the mountaintop that is the NBA Finals led to a formation of narratives, with the predominant one being that he's merely built for the regular season and chokes in the playoffs.

One of Harden's former teammates, Austin Rivers, took it upon himself to defend Harden's failure to eclipse a championship on Off Guard with Austin Rivers.

"There's a lot of myths about James Harden. I'm not saying he's the greatest leader of all-time. I'm not saying he's shown the most will in the playoffs.

I'm not saying he's led a team to the Finals before. He hasn't. I get all that, guys.

But there's this myth that he doesn't perform in the playoffs. You need to go look at his numbers. He's averaged 27 for his career.

He does perform. I've been in playoff games with him and seen him score 40."

Rivers then addressed Harden's Game 7 showings -- career averages of 19.3 points, 7.9 assists, 5.7 rebounds, 35.5 percent from the field, 22.4 percent from long-range, 50.6 percent true shooting, four turnovers.

"There's always a game or two in the masses. The guy was rolling in the playoffs, but then he'll have a bad game or two and they'll say he doesn't perform.

He does though. Maybe it's not as timely as it should be, but the myth that James Harden doesn't perform in the playoffs is bullshit.

I just think in some of these close out games he hasn't been at his best and that's what people are gonna hang you for."

To be fair, Harden has had seven career Game 7's.

Rivers sought to explain why Harden may have had postseason letdowns, noting the opponents he faced and the lack of starpower put together by former Rockets executive Daryl Morey, who was regarded as one of the best front office executives during Harden's tenure with the Rockets.

"We didn't have enough. James only lost to the best teams ever. This dude ran into the Warriors. And before that, he lost to the Spurs team that mollywhopped everybody, including the Heatles.

And that's the other team that beat him in the Finals."

The 11-year vet clarified that he was referring to James Harden at his peak.

"I'm talking about prime James. Obviously now, he's older. Right now you take what you can get. These guys are at the end of their careers."

Rivers defending his former teammate shouldn't be surprising. That's what you'd expect.

Even if some of his claims are erroneous, you still have to commend him for going to bat for his former comrade.