Rockets legend criminally underrated in new all-time shooting guards list

James Harden is the second-best player in Houston Rockets history. He was recently snubbed on HoopsHype's list of the best shooting guards ever.

Some Rockets fans will be indifferent. Harden is a Clipper. He hasn't been a Rocket in a long time. Moreover, the two sides split on less than amblicable terms. Who cares how he's regarded?

Some Rockets fans will feel wildly different. Harden is their hero. For many of them, he's the best player they've ever seen in Rockets red. No matter where you stand, there's one objective truth:

He's had a better career than Allen Iverson.

Rockets legend snubbed in new list

That's the only point of contention here. HoopsHype lists Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Dwyane Wade ahead of Harden as well. Any complaints about that should be dismissed as biased. Iverson clocks in fourth, followed by Harden:

That's where there's a genuine point of contention.

Let's talk career stats. Harden has averaged 24.1 points, 7.2 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game so far with a Box Plus/Minus (BPM) of 6.3. Iverson finished his illustrious career with averaged of 26.7 points, 6.2 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game with a 3.2 BPM.

Armchair staticians already have a potential gripe. Harden's career is ongoing. Iverson's is done. So, we're factoring in the end of Iverson's career when a player's stats tend to decline.

Only, Harden already has more career games than Iverson at 1151 to 914. Iverson's decline began at age 33. At the same age, Harden led the NBA in assists per game.

If anything, the career stats should favor Iverson. Harden spent three years as a third fiddle in Oklahoma City. Iverson was immediately welcomed as the future of Sixers basketball - he averaged 23.5 points per game as a rookie.

Team success? That depends on your point of view. Does advancing to the NBA Finals once (as Iverson did) mean so much more than advancing to the Conference Finals four times (twice as a primary option) like Harden? That feels like a shaky justification to rank Iverson over Harden.

Defense? Meh! Iverson was perhaps more disruptive in passing lanes, but his dimunitive size was easier to expose. By contrast, the Rockets were often able to hide Harden on big men as a compotent post defender. It's roughly a wash in this area:

So what gives?

Harden leaves complicated Rockets legacy

Allen Iverson is one of the most well-remembered players in NBA history.

He was larger than life. Iverson's influence transcended basketball. He was a cultural icon. Harden is...not.

That feels like the only plausible explanation for these rankings. Nobody is trying to denigrate Iverson here - he's a legend - but Harden has had the better NBA career. For that matter, he'll retire with a better career no matter what happens next:

No matter how Rockets fans remember him.