Brooklyn Nets veteran small forward Jared Dudley recently chatted with Ethan Strauss of The Athletic to give his take on a scouting report to guard Houston Rockets superstar James Harden.
Harden led the NBA in scoring this season for the second-straight year. The Rockets star has become impossible to defend with his legal step back 3-pointer, but Dudley offered his take on how he would try and stop The Beard from going off.
The Rockets and Warriors play Game 6 of their series on Friday in Houston:
“It’s knowing your help side defense,” Dudley said. “You have to force him right as much as possible. I want him shooting 2s. I don’t want them wide open. I want Draymond (Green) coming over to cover. I don’t want Draymond coming too high over because I want (Clint) Capela getting no dunks.
“Harden’s drives set up everyone, P.J. Tucker’s corner 3s, Eric Gordon’s drives. So, if you don’t help too much, if you keep him right, the pass is not as crisp as when it’s left-handed. The shooter’s percentages actually go down when he passes it with the right, compared to that one-handed left wrap-around pass. When they run, they hit 17, 18s 3s. When they win, Harden hits about six 3s. Take away the 3-ball. Don’t reach. You should know that by now.
“Steph Curry should know that by now. Trust your back line of the defense, and when he steps back, the worst thing you can do when you jump to contest is to go through his body. He’s the king at selling it. Don’t give this man six to nine free throws off shooting 3s.”
In the series against the Warriors, Harden is averaging 34.8 points while shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 33.9 percent from beyond the arc.
The Rockets have to win Game 6 on Friday, or else their season will come to an end.
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