Scottie Pippen Explains How to Stop James Harden on Offense

James Harden is one of the most unstoppable players in the NBA. This, we know. He can take you to the rack. He can take a step-back and swish the shot. He can collapse the defense and distribute to the open man for the wide open three. He can beat you in so many ways, but Scottie Pippen has an idea on how to try to stop him.

Of course, Scottie was an 8x NBA All-Defensive First Team and 2x NBA All-Defensive Second Team award recipient, so he knows a thing or two about defense.

Pippen says that for one, you shouldn’t switch a big on him because he’ll beat you with the handles and put the defender at his mercy. Secondly, whoever is guarding him shouldn’t force him to the right because he’ll still beat you that way. Just because he’s a lefty, it doesn’t mean he’s less comfortable driving to the right. And lastly, teams have to put a defender on him as he brings the ball up the court. When they don’t, he’s liable for an open three pointer, regardless of how back he may be. If nobody is pressing him, he has a wide open look.

Considering the Utah Jazz beat the Houston Rockets last night, they know a thing or two about containing The Beard, even though he still led the Rockets in scoring.

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