5 scariest players in the NBA to defend

By Roje Smith | Oct 31, 2016

CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 16: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dunks the ball against the Golden State Warriors in Game 6 of the 2016 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on June 16, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

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Halloween and the NBA season are here, so let’s look at the five scariest ballers in the league to guard.

The last day of October has arrived, and that means one thing: Halloween, our annual opportunity to dress up as our favorite fictional characters and inanimate objects without fear of ridicule. October also marks the return of the NBA season. So in the spirit of the holiday, let’s take a look at the five scariest players to defend in the association. These gentlemen cause nightmares for whoever is foolish enough to stand in front of them, and even for some who aren’t.

BEIJING, CHINA – OCTOBER 12: James Harden #13 of Houston Rockets in action during the game between Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans as part of the 2016-17 NBA Global Games – China at the LeSports Center on October 12, 2016 in Beijing, China. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images) /

5. James Harden – Houston Rockets

James Harden is arguably the scariest shooting guard to defend in the NBA. It didn’t seem like that would be the case when he was playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder, but his role as their sixth man didn’t fully showcase the skills he possessed. We saw only flashes of his dominating potential while the Thunder ran the majority of their offense through Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. However, all of that changed when Harden was traded to the Houston Rockets prior to the 2012-13 season.

Ever since becoming the face of the Rockets franchise four years ago, Harden has averaged 26.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game. He has clearly established himself as one of the premier scoring threats in the league and his improving distribution skills make him even more dangerous.

The first thing that stands out about Harden’s game is his ability to knock down shots from anywhere. That alone makes him scary to defend, but it’s the other elements of his game that make him truly frightening. James loves to score by driving into the paint and drawing fouls. He has a tendency to make contested layups with great body control and aggressive physicality with his 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame. Therefore, he tends to get a lot of “and-1” calls. Additionally, Harden is an excellent ball handler that can break any defender’s ankles whenever he chooses to do so. He’s also a much better athlete than he appears and will dunk on anyone who fails to realize that.

Whether it’s his dangerously unique style of play or his epic beard, James Harden is definitely one of the scariest players to defend in the NBA.

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