It has been increasingly frustrating to watch the LA Clippers spiral downward since acquiring James Harden. The 10x All-Star had his eyes set on the Clippers throughout the off-season. However, it wasn’t until a few days into the 2023-24 regular season that the trade fell through. Before the trade took place, Harden took some time off from the court to tend to his ill mother.
The Clippers are still winless with James Harden. pic.twitter.com/26U1Bk9TNj
— ESPN (@espn) November 12, 2023
The former MVP was stopped from returning to the team. James was ready to suit up for the Philadelphia 76ers even though he had to be with his family. Now that he’s in LA, the Sixers are doing far better than fans and experts expected them to do. As of now, they are looking like solid title contenders under the leadership of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey by his side. But Harden and the Clippers haven’t found success at all since his debut.
The Clippers lose their fifth straight game since the James Harden trade
Before acquiring James Harden, the Clippers were doing great in the Western Conference. With Paul George and Kawhi Leonard taking charge, they were 3-1 at the start of the season without the 10x All-Star. The Clippers were among the top five teams and they genuinely seemed like they were going to break through their playoff dry spell.
Since Harden’s debut, the Clippers have lost four games in a row. Their most recent loss came against the Memphis Grizzlies, who are currently the worst team in the league. Harden has been averaging 13.5 points, 5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game this season. It is quite an unusual stat line for Harden but he’s a part of a team with three other superstars.
Sources have revealed that Leonard has grown impatient and frustrated with the Clippers. While most fans believe that Harden is the issue, the truth is that the team simply lacks chemistry. All four stars are used to being ball-dominant and neither of them is consistent in their roles. During the Grizzlies game, the Clippers starting lineup seemed atrociously sloppy. This isn’t good for a roster built around superstars.
How will the Warriors benefit from a James Harden acquisition?
With the James Harden-Clippers era taking a plunge, fans have already started to revolt against him. One fan commented on X saying that Harden would make a great shot creator on the Golden State Warriors. This comes in light of the Warriors’ recent struggles over the last few games. They’ve lost four of their last five games with their most recent defeat coming against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Warriors need another shot creator, I got just the guy for them pic.twitter.com/xoW0dEEiae
— ᴅ ʀ ᴇ ᴡ (@FeelLikeDrew) November 13, 2023
The Warriors are generally known for having great offense. But Stephen Curry has been the only player on the roster to score more than 20 points through 11 games this season. Neither Klay Thompson nor Andrew Wiggins has had a 20-point game yet. While they’ve been on a gradual decline, Harden is the type of player who is capable of scoring 20 points with ease. James could provide more support on offense.