The LA Clippers have a troubling James Harden update ahead of their season’s last leg. As the season approaches the business end of the year, the LA side seems to have an alarming injury sign. After missing out on tonight’s game against the Chicago Bulls, the 10x NBA All-Star may also miss the team’s next outing against the New Orleans Pelicans, owing to his shoulder injury.
Law Murray, The Athletic reporter, took to his X handle and revealed Harden’s playing status. In his post, Murray stated that Harden was unsure of his playing status for tomorrow’s game. Considering the Clippers’ race to finish on top of the West ladder, the team would require their core to be healthy in the last stretch. Notably, there isn’t any update on the severity of Harden’s shoulder injury.
James Harden tells me that he is not sure about his playing status yet for tomorrow at New Orleans
— Law Murray 🧭 (@LawMurrayTheNU) March 15, 2024
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Ever since the Clippers roped in James Harden, the superstar hadn’t missed a single game. But, in the last week alone, his name popped up in the injury report twice. Ahead of tonight’s game against the Bulls, he was listed in the Questionable category, citing a left shoulder strain. While he was expected to make it to the line-up, the team’s head coach, Tyronn Lue, pulled him out at the last moment.
After the frustrating loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves before the Bulls’ game, Harden dropped a positive update on his shoulder strain. He said, “I am straight,” but he couldn’t make it to the next game. And Now, ahead of the crucial game against the Pelicans, the superstar has bluntly revealed that he isn’t sure. On top of it, Kawhi Leonard has also been struggling with his back spasms. Considering the team’s slump in the last 10 games, the plaguing injuries could be a massive scare for the Clippers.
Injury plagued Clippers – A look into the future
In the last 10 games, the Clippers have lost 5 of them. Considering the impressive run that the LA side produced at the start of the season, it seemed to have missed a trick. A few days ago, the team missed their second unit leader, Russell Westbrook, due to a finger injury. While it will take almost 3 weeks for him to return, the core three, Harden, Leonard, and Paul George, seemed to be injury-prone.
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Here is a slow-mo of the Kawhi Leonard “back injury”
-Looks like he gets yanked to his right
-Could have set off a spasmTypical recovery is dependent on severity of the strain (days to weeks)
PS: I didn’t like the way his left knee landed (But Clips aren’t saying anything… pic.twitter.com/hfQWJxuuoW
— Dr. Evan Jeffries, DPT (@GameInjuryDoc) March 13, 2024
During this recent slump, the Clippers lost their chances to top the West ladder. In fact, they have a new threat in the form of the Pelicans. They are just 3 wins short of the Clippers to clinch the fourth spot. If the Clippers fail to set their footing right, the team could even slip down to the fifth seed.
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Will the LA side sustain their position in the among the top teams of the West ladder? Let us know in the comments below.
Read More – Fans Discredit James Harden Despite Iron Man Effort in an “Injury Prone” Clippers Roster