Last season was a great start for James Harden on the defensive end of the court. He was far more alert on defense than in years like 2014 and 2016. With a little bit more help on the court with him, he was able to put some more focus on that part of the game. Now, more help is on the way and that could be great for the Rockets and their defense.
Even with the better year last season on the defensive end, he is still an average defender at best. However, he is certainly not the type of defender that people make him out to be on Vine or YouTube.