In the game between the Clippers and the Jazz, Clippers star James Harden performed outstandingly, scoring 34 points in the first half and playing a total of 30 minutes. He shot 11 out of 17 from the field, 7 out of 11 from three-point range, and 12 out of 14 from the free-throw line, accumulating an impressive stat line of 41 points, 1 rebound, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. Notably, Harden scored 34 points in the first half, not only was it his second time this season to score over 30 points in a half, but he also became the only player in the league to achieve this feat twice. Other players have only managed to score over 30 points in a half once, including LaMelo Ball with 40 points, Paolo Banchero with 37 points, De'Aaron Fox with 33 points, Nikola Jokic with 32 points, Karl-Anthony Towns with 31 points, Tyler Herro with 30 points, and Donovan Mitchell with 30 points.
Scoring over 30 points in a half, and being the only player in the league to do so twice this season, Harden has shown through his actions that although his athleticism and competitive form have indeed declined, if given a suitable system, he can still bring back the "Rocket Harden" in limited time and has the potential to achieve even better statistics. Just like the 41 points in yesterday's game, if he were to pursue more points, he could easily take more shots in the third quarter, and with his shooting touch from beyond the arc yesterday, breaking 50+ points would be possible. Therefore, I believe that this season's Harden is the strongest since leaving the Rockets, and most importantly, he has once again proven that he is indeed a player who brings his own system.
If we talk about who benefits the most from Harden's system, besides the role players on the Clippers who have been fed by Harden, the head coach Tyronn Lue also enjoys the dividends. After the game, Tyronn Lue gave an interview where he specifically addressed Harden's playing time issue, and he began to express concern for Harden. He said that Harden is a hardworking individual who plays 35 to 36 minutes every night, and as he gets older, Lue himself dislikes doing this, but Harden must learn to make appropriate adjustments and avoid overexertion. Lue hopes to reduce Harden's burden and only wishes for him to stay healthy throughout the entire season. Without Kawhi Leonard, Harden is the soul of this Clippers team, and if Lue doesn't care for him, who else would he care for?
Finally, the NBA announced the new All-Star game format. This season, Harden averages 33 minutes per game, scoring 22.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 1.6 steals. It's worth noting that Harden has been selected to the All-Star game 10 times since entering the league, but he hasn't made it in the past two years. The reason for not making it is that he sacrificed his status and ball possession in the team for the championship, transitioning into a supporting role, which led to a decline in his statistics and thus not making the cut. However, Harden's statistics are still commendable this season, and if he can deliver a few more standout performances before the voting ends and the Clippers' record improves to the top four in the West, then returning to the All-Star game is likely not an issue.