NBA Stars Falling Off: Harden, Bridges, Green and George

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Early-Season Struggles Raise Questions About Harden, Bridges, Green and George

Several players have raised early concerns this season, although the small sample of roughly 10 games makes it too soon to draw drastic conclusions.

James Harden was the first player discussed. Despite a strong performance tonight, he has averaged 15 points per game for the Cavaliers. That production was questioned for a highly paid player expected to serve as the team’s second-leading scorer.

Mikal Bridges was another concern. Known as the NBA’s Iron Man, Bridges typically contributes between 14 and 20 points, depending on the night. He is currently averaging six points in 25 minutes per game, well below his usual playing time. Although the Knicks have continued to perform well, Bridges has not produced at his normal level within their current scheme.

One view was that individual statistics matter less for the Knicks than whether the team wins. Because opponents give the Knicks their best effort at Madison Square Garden and whenever they see a Knicks jersey, players such as Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart should be evaluated primarily through team results rather than box scores.

Jalen Green also drew criticism. He was once expected to help lead Houston before joining Phoenix as a potential scoring partner for Devin Booker. Green is averaging fewer than 12 points per game, though he delivered a strong performance against the Clippers.

Another perspective was that Green has not declined because he has always been the type of player who can score with enough shot attempts on a struggling team. The argument was that any NBA player could average 20 points if given sufficient opportunities. Zach LaVine was cited as another example of a player who can score heavily on bad teams.

From that viewpoint, Green encountered a demanding coach in Ime Udoka, did not respond as expected and ultimately landed in Phoenix alongside Booker. The final prediction focused on Paul George, with one speaker arguing that his production would decline significantly and that he would be “useless” by February.