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Doc Rivers gets real on why James Harden's play style does not lead to postseason success

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Doc Rivers gets real on why James Harden's play style does not lead to postseason success originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

James Harden has been in the NBA since 2009, and he has been awesome. Initially starting off as a sixth man for the Oklahoma City Thunder, he truly rose to stardom with the Houston Rockets.

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He has mainly played as a shooting guard throughout his career, but he has become more of a point guard in recent years. Championship-winning head coach Doc Rivers believes that leaning into the second play style leads to the best version of Harden.

Doc Rivers gets candid about James Harden's optimal play style

Harden is now playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he is the point guard alongside Donovan Mitchell. However, it seems that he still did not play winning basketball because the Cavs lost in a sweep in the Eastern Conference Finals.

In that ECF against the New York Knicks, it was clear that Harden was struggling. He was not impactful, especially as a scorer, something that Rivers wants to minimize from Harden's game.

MORE: Doc Rivers appreciates what James Harden did for the Cavaliers

Rivers and Harden worked together across two seasons on the Philadelphia 76ers. The Beard was superb as a point guard under Rivers, but they still could not win, even with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey as the stars.

It seems that Rivers is just not a fan of how Harden calls his number many times throughout the game. He wants him to play more within the flow of the game and serve up amazing passes to his teammates.

"James is a phenomenal player. I still think the best part of his game which he does not like as much as I do. I think he has as good a vision as anybody I've seen next to Rondo and Chris," Rivers said about Harden on Bill Simmons' podcast.

"James doesn't give everybody else enough room to be great. He's the only one who can be great. I don't think it's a jealousy thing; I just think it's just how he plays. As he said, he's the system, but I don't think that's the system to win."

Rivers brings up valid points about Harden. He can be one of the best playmakers, but it still feels like the system needs to be built around him. If he can be a secondary player, that could open up the game for the team. Unfortunately for Harden, Rivers might be correct with his point.

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