Fans Discredit James Harden Despite Iron Man Effort in an “Injury Prone” Clippers Roster

A recent tweet by Legion Hoops revealed some incredible stats about James Harden. Here’s the shocker: the 34-year-old has played in 57 consecutive games! Despite being traded after the start of the season, he leads the Clippers in minutes played. He’s been a rock for the injury-prone LA Clippers. However, some fans, or rather “non-fans” are not impressed!

From reactions such as, “I mean he doesn’t do much. Just passes the ball and shoots 3s. He’ll never get hurt playing like that lol” to, “james harden is washed.” Folks are throwing shade at Harden.

In a close game against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday, the Los Angeles Clippers emerged victorious by a score of 112-110. The key to their win was a unique triple-double performance from “the Beard” which placed him in an elite group in the history of the NBA.  Harden’s stat line was remarkable, not only did he drop a triple-double with a mind-blowing 14 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, but he did it without a single two-point attempt, joining Steve Blake (2014) as the only players in NBA history to do so.

Harden kept the stat sheet party going on Sunday against the Milwaukee Bucks. He dished out 11 assists and 5 rebounds, while adding 13 points to the scoreboard (shooting 5 for 16 from the field, 1 for 6 from three, and a perfect 2 for 2 from the free throw line) in a hard-fought 124-117 defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks.

James Harden Pick & Roll Camp

On an episode of Paul George’s Podcast P, both PG and Ivica Zubac mentioned the ongoing “James Harden Pick & Roll Camp.” This focus on Harden working with center Ivica Zubac during a post-practice session is rather an interesting development with Zubac’s skillset as a screener and finisher seeming like a great fit for Harden’s playmaking.

The Clippers, with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, were always known for their jump-shooting prowess, but creating easy buckets for each other? Not so much. Their offense often relied on isolated plays for individual stats. Early in the season, the Clippers ranked just 24th in offensive efficiency, overshadowed by the high-scoring Pacers and Celtics.

Fast forward a few months, and the impact of Harden’s camp is legit! Harden and Zubac have unlocked the Clippers’ offensive potential through the magic of the pick-and-roll. Opposing defenses, designed to stop Kawhi and George in isolation, are left scrambling when these All-Stars become bystanders in the corner as Harden orchestrates plays around screens, feeding Zubac for easy layups at the rim.

The Clippers are still kings of isolation and pull-up jumpers, but their pick-and-roll game is the hottest new trend in the NBA. And it’s working like a charm!

So, the lesson here is clear: haters gonna hate, while “the Beard” makes history.

Read More: Shunning Damian Lillard Excuse, James Harden Owns Up to Bucks Upset in Giannis’ Absence