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,…

Recently, there's been a poignant scene in the NBA: The Kings, without their top star De'Aaron Fox due to injury, have managed to win five games in a row! You might call it a coincidence, but this streak coincides with the turmoil surrounding Fox's contract renewal issues with the team. This raises a big question: When the team collectively celebrates victories, is that once "core" player still as important? It turns out that Fox has gotten himself into quite a predicament. He turned down the Kings' offer of a three-year, 165millionmaxcontractextension,insistingonafive−year,165 million max contract extension, insisting on a five-year, 165millionmaxcontractextension,insistingonafive−year,346 million supermax deal. That's a hefty sum, indeed. However, the question remains: Does his performance justify such a contract? The team seems to be doing better without him, which is quite unsettling. Let's delve into this matter and see what's really going on. Every player has the right to pursue higher pay, after all, it's the nature of professional sports. But this time, Fox and his agent, Rich Paul, seem to have taken too big a step. In the eyes of his agent, Fox should be among the league's top-tier players, on par with superstars like Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum. In reality, though, Fox's resume includes only one playoff appearance. We're not talking about explosive stats here; his leadership abilities alone are questionable. American media can't help but speak with data: Fox's effective field goal percentage and defensive impact rank only in the upper-middle range among point guards in the league, far from being at the "ceiling" level. Experts…