The NBA regular season rolls on, and the Los Angeles Clippers are performing well, despite a tough loss to the Trail Blazers. With James Harden in excellent form, the Clippers are aiming to bounce back with a victory over the Suns this Thursday.
Harden has been crucial for the Clippers, stepping up as the team deals with injuries to key players like Kawhi Leonard and Mo Bamba, both currently in recovery. Head coach Tyronn Lue has relied on Harden’s leadership to navigate the lineup changes.
After the narrow loss to the Trail Blazers, Harden shared his thoughts on the Clippers’ performance and what they need to focus on moving forward: “We want to blow teams out, but if that’s not the case, then we find ways to win. Last night we didn’t capitalize, and we didn’t close. Me missing free throws—it can’t happen.”
Only one point kept the Clippers from forcing overtime, but as Harden noted, missed opportunities could be costly if the team has playoff aspirations, as the three-point shows were the main trouble.
James Harden #1 of the LA Clippers drives to the basket on Toumani Camara #33 Anfernee Simons #1 and Deandre Ayton #2 of the Portland Trail Blazers of the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half at Intuit Dome on October 30, 2024 in Inglewood, California.
Clippers’ season stats so far
As the season progresses, the Clippers are working to improve their numbers while waiting for injured players to return. With a 2-2 record, the team, led by Lue, will need to elevate their game to achieve their season goals.
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The Clippers have played 985 minutes this season, scoring 165 field goals with a .466 shooting percentage, converting 43 three-pointers at .331, and hitting 66 out of 92 free throws. They’ve accumulated 192 rebounds, 110 assists, and 439 total points.
Harden’s contributions to the stats
With other key players sidelined, Harden has taken on a leading role. Averaging 36 minutes per game, he’s contributed 6.8 field goals per game at a .355 shooting percentage, 2.5 three-pointers per game with a .270 conversion rate, and 7.5 free throws out of 8.8 attempts.
Harden shines in assists, averaging 11.3 per game—the highest on the team. He also averages 7.5 rebounds and leads the team in scoring with 23.5 points per game. Harden aims to build on this strong performance in Thursday’s matchup against the Suns in the NBA regular season.
