Paul Pierce Sounds NBA Alarms as Enigmatic James Harden Explodes in Monster Performance Against Indiana:”…Careful What U Play”

After a rough start to the year, things are looking as bright as they can for the Los Angeles Clippers. Since the James Harden trade, the team has been on a rollercoaster of extreme proportions. The first few weeks were rough, with the team unable to string together a victory. However, the Russell Westbrook to-the-bench adjustment has worked wonders.

As a result, the team is on a roll, winner of 12 of their last 15. Seeing the team go from strength to strength has quickly put the league on notice. Even Paul Pierce had to acknowledge the slowly rising star of LA. “The Clippers are the little joker in the deck be careful what u play,” was perhaps the best way to describe the renaissance of a team that looked lost just a month back. However, with increasing continuity and chemistry, the Kawhi Leonard-led Clippers have finally hit their stride.

During their latest run, the team is starting to resemble what Steve Balmer first put into vision when making the move for Harden. Led by an explosive quartet of James, Russ, Kawhi, and Paul George, the team’s offense is firing on all cylinders. Further, Ivica Zubac has once again found the groove that made him one of the most underrated centers in the league.

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Moreover, Brodie’s sacrifice has led to the team thriving as a whole. With a dominant victory over the IST runner-ups, the Indiana Pacers, the sky seems to be the limit for the franchise. Like head coach Ty Lue said when the trade first broke through, the answer was simple. Let James Harden do James Harden things.

James Harden shines as Indy’s falter continues

Since finding his rhythm, The Beard has been looking more and more like his MVP self. His performance against the Pacers might have been his best one yet. Ultra-efficient shooting the ball, James would compile 35 points on just 16 shot attempts while navigating the offense with an easy 9 assists to 1 turnover performance.

On the other side of the table, Indiana’s demise continues to increase in intensity. Since a spotlight-grabbing performance in the In-Season Tournament, the Pacers have dealt with a rough stretch. What began with a mauling by the Lakers has gone from bad to worse for the Pacers. The team has won just 1 game in its last 5.

Can they turn it around? They would certainly not want to lose their next game on Wednesday against the 7-18 Charlotte Hornets. What are your thoughts on the Clippers-Pacers matchup? Let us know in the comments below.

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