The sour science driving James Harden's vexing genius

The Houston Rockets deserve a massive amount of credit for uncovering and implementing the most analytically correct strategies in professional basketball. Whether it's their shot selection or offensive design, the team has aligned its on-court behaviors with the game's most efficient actions. However, as Houston continues to chase the efficiency dragon farther down the trail, it's worth asking: Is this endless quest for efficiency good for basketball?

From an analytical perspective, the trio of GM Daryl Morey, head coach Mike D'Antoni and superstar James Harden have coalesced to form the shrewdest offense in the NBA. Their strategies reformed conventional wisdom and revealed important…