On January 3rd, Beijing time, the Clippers suffered their worst loss of the new season, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Harden, as they finally realized who the real star of the team is. If the team could only choose one All-Star, it definitely wouldn't be Powell.
The Clippers faced a crushing defeat against the top team in the West, the Thunder, losing by a massive 18 points. In this game, Powell had another poor performance, shooting 1 out of 11 and scoring only 6 points with 6 turnovers. Without Harden, Powell has only made 6 out of 29 shots this season, including a dismal 1 out of 15 from three-point range.
The cold, hard facts prove that the true All-Star of this team should be Harden. If the other Clippers players were subjected to the defensive intensity that Harden usually faces, they simply couldn't handle it. Prior to this, Powell's average score had skyrocketed to first place in the Clippers this season, averaging 24.3 points per game. Many people claimed that Powell was the true leader of the Clippers, while Harden was just along for the ride.
But now without Harden, can Powell perform better? The reality is that without Harden to draw defenders away, Powell can't maintain an All-Star level of play, nor does he have the ability to do so. This game serves as the most typical example, where he missed 10 consecutive shots and only scored 2 points during garbage time. This means that without Harden, he wouldn't even be able to score if he didn't pad his stats, isn't that enough to prove something?
The only difference between this game and previous ones is that he no longer has Harden beside him. The defensive focus that was on Harden has shifted to him. Therefore, many people were previously advocating for Powell to be selected for the All-Star Game this season. However, if the Clippers could only have one All-Star, it should be Harden and not Powell. As soon as Harden left, Powell's true colors were exposed. If they really experienced the intensity that Harden faces, they simply couldn't handle it.
The Thunder's defensive intensity against Powell would result in Harden still being able to score around 20 points without much trouble. But when it comes to Powell, it's a different story, as evidenced by his 10 consecutive misses. To put it bluntly, they only appear strong and capable next to Harden, but do they truly deserve to be an All-Star? The answer is still no.
If the team were to truly select an All-Star, they shouldn't just look at scoring, but also at on-court performance, where Harden is undoubtedly the stronger player. Moreover, this misfortune for Harden turned out to be a blessing, as Powell's poor performance allowed the judges to see how important he is to the team, and they will likely vote for him in the All-Star Game. More importantly, it also relieves Leonard of any pressure, as he is about to return. The team's two consecutive losses show that they still need him, and if he returns during a winning streak and disrupts the rhythm, it could be quite awkward for Leonard.