Is James Harden playing today, December 15, for Clippers vs Grizzlies?

The Los Angeles Clippers face the Memphis Grizzlies in an NBA regular-season matchup as they look for a much-needed win to climb out of a season marked by negative stretches and inconsistent performances. Results continue to go against them, and urgency surrounds the group. One question stands out ahead of tipoff: Will James Harden play?

Harden has appeared in 24 of the Clippers’ 25 games this season and was listed as questionable ahead of the game, but he will play against the Grizzlies. He logs more than 40 minutes in a Dec. 11 loss to Houston, and it appears he comes out of that game dealing with some physical discomfort.

If Harden is unable to suit up, it becomes another hurdle for the Clippers, who have dealt with injuries throughout the season. Derrick Jones Jr. continues to recover from an MCL injury, while Kawhi Leonard missed time earlier in the year before returning to consistent minutes in recent weeks.

The 2025–26 season continues to be a nightmare for the Clippers. They sit at 6–19 overall and ride a three-game losing streak, which drops them into the No. 13 spot in the Western Conference standings and places added pressure on every upcoming contest.

James Harden #1 of the LA Clippers.

Harden’s numbers

This injury is new for the veteran guard, and the Clippers move cautiously given the heavy workload Harden carries this season. He averages 26.6 points, 7.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game, numbers that reflect his importance on both ends of the floor.

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If Harden does not suit up on Monday, the Clippers are expected to lean more heavily on Leonard to carry the scoring load on offense. Without their primary playmaker, the team becomes extremely short-handed against a Grizzlies squad capable of taking advantage.

Calf contusion as a recurring injury

Several players across the NBA are dealing with similar calf contusion issues, including Anthony Davis and Evan Mobley, who both appear on injury reports for the same reason. When looking at the data, calf injuries have taken a significant jump from last season at the 20-game mark, according to Tom Haberstroh of Yahoo Sports.

“This time last season, there were 18 calf injuries at the 20-game mark. This season, it’s up to 25 incidents, representing an increase of nearly 40%,” Haberstroh wrote. “More significant, however, is the elongated recovery timeline of these injuries. Per Stotts’ data, the number of games lost due to calf injuries, through 20 games played, skyrocketed from 36 to 108. A tripling of last season’s total.”