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,…

The Clippers lost 99-112 to the Bulls today, ending their four-game winning streak. However, they remain in fifth place in the Western Conference, with the gap between them and the Lakers closing to 1.5 games. Today's loss isn't a big deal for the Clippers, considering that Leonard and Zubac didn't play. These are key players, and Zubac's impact in the paint is irreplaceable by Bamba. Despite Bamba starting and playing well with Harden due to his ability to space the floor and shoot threes, he later became somewhat ineffective. Bamba couldn't hurt the Bulls' interior defense, and relying on outside shooting alone won't defeat them. Moreover, the Clippers struggled to contain LaVine, who was unstoppable even against the Celtics. LaVine scored 35 points, shooting 11 of 21 from the field and 5 of 12 from three-point range. The Clippers' main issue is not only the absence of two key players but also their lack of energy. Harden, in particular, played 40 minutes against the Lakers and then logged 30 minutes in just three quarters today. He finished with 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 10 assists in 36 minutes, shooting 5 of 17 from the field, 3 of 13 from three-point range, and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line, with 5 turnovers. In two consecutive games, Harden played a total of 76 minutes. The Clippers' loss to the Bulls is understandable given Harden's workload. He refuses to rest, as Tyronn Lue pointed out, citing the team's lack of energy and softness in today's game. When discussing Harden, Lue mentioned fatigue…

On January 19th, Beijing time, two remarkable pieces of news about the Los Angeles Clippers have emerged. The entire Clippers team is campaigning for Harden and Powell. Despite Leonard's long-term absence, the Clippers have managed to maintain a high ranking in the Western Conference, with James Harden and Norman Powell playing significant roles. Currently, Harden ranks sixth among Western Conference guards in voting, while Powell has not made it into the top ten. However, the entire Clippers organization, including head coach Tyronn Lue and Leonard, believe that both players deserve an All-Star spot this year. This season, Harden averages 22 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game, while Powell averages 24.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. They have been instrumental in maintaining the team's performance. Especially Harden, who has been the backbone of the Clippers, leading the team forward. The Clippers are seeking to trade Zhao Si from the Nets. According to American media reports, as the team continues to perform well, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer's desire to win a championship has been reignited, and previous plans have been completely scrapped. Ballmer firmly believes that as long as Leonard remains healthy and Harden stabilizes the situation during the regular season, the team will be able to make a significant impact in the playoffs. To this end, the Clippers are discussing a trade with the Brooklyn Nets regarding Nicholas Claxton (Zhao Si). Claxton is an old friend of Harden's, and if the Clippers can successfully acquire him, it would strengthen their weakest link. Currently, apart from Zubac, Bamba is…

In the previous game, the Clippers defeated the Nets by a whopping 59 points, with Harden delivering an impressive performance of 21 points, 6 rebounds, 11 assists, and 2 steals. Currently, under Harden's leadership, the Clippers have a record of 22 wins and 17 losses, ranking fifth in the Western Conference. Notably, facing the Trail Blazers in a back-to-back game today, the Clippers have rested Leonard due to right knee injury management. Harden, on the other hand, is playing as usual. For the Clippers, retaining Harden was undoubtedly the best move of last offseason. Analyzing the situations of Philadelphia and the Clippers clearly shows that without Harden, Philadelphia, despite forming a trio of stars, has become a struggling team in the Eastern Conference. Paul George earns a salary of $50 million per year, which was once the amount Harden sought from Philadelphia. However, Harden has proven himself worthy of that salary. At least this season, the 31-year-old Harden has had a significant impact on the Clippers, far surpassing George. As Tyronn Lue stated post-game, Harden is the reason why the Clippers are in fifth place. This season, Harden has played in 37 games, resting only twice, averaging 21.5 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and 1.46 steals. Offensively, Harden is the core initiator of the Clippers' tactics. The Clippers' strategy centered around Harden has proven effective, as he brings his own system. Last season, George was not entirely satisfied with being marginalized as a role player in a system centered around Harden. Later, Tyronn Lue tried to let George initiate plays,…

Kawhi Leonard's sudden departure has caused a significant stir within the Clippers organization. Having just announced his return, he had not yet fully regained his peak form when he officially announced his departure after only two games. This is undoubtedly a blow to the Clippers fans who had high hopes that Leonard and Harden could lead the team further and make a championship push. However, Leonard's departure was not due to physical issues but rather an urgent family situation. Coach Tyronn Lue revealed that the Los Angeles wildfires had almost destroyed Leonard's home, leaving his family homeless. This forced Leonard to make the difficult decision to temporarily leave the team and return to Los Angeles to deal with the aftermath. Social media users expressed understanding, acknowledging that family comes first, even in the face of important basketball games. Leonard's absence is affecting the Clippers' preparations, especially as they were beginning to find synergy and improve their overall strength through the combination of Leonard and Harden. Both Coach Lue and the Clippers' management have expressed full support for Leonard's decision, recognizing that family safety is more important than any single game. The players and management's attitude towards Leonard's situation is commendable, with some fans expressing disappointment but also understanding. The Clippers' goal remains to compete for the championship, and the potential of the Leonard-Harden duo is highly anticipated. If Leonard's absence continues, it will undoubtedly impact the team's rhythm. Some fans jokingly suggest that the team now relies solely on Harden, reflecting the strong expectations for the Leonard-Harden partnership. Leonard is…

Leonard, as the ace player of the Clippers, has indeed disappointed fans in recent years. We can see Leonard unable to provide continuous support for the Clippers due to his injury problems at critical moments in each season. Especially last season, it was the year with the most hope for the Clippers' Big Three. However, during the playoffs against the Mavericks, Leonard once again withdrew from the team due to his own injuries. It was only recently that Leonard made a comeback. In the game where the Clippers defeated the Hawks 131-105, Leonard also played for 19 minutes. However, Leonard's performance was indeed poor, shooting only 4 out of 11 in the game. He scored 12 points, and his overall performance was quite mediocre. What is even more worrying for fans is that Leonard withdrew early again. Although the specific reason is unknown, fans understand that Leonard has a fragile physique. There will definitely be a series of problems in the next game. Therefore, Tyronn Lue, the head coach of the Clippers, can't stand it anymore. In an interview, Coach Lue also spoke the truth. He said: "Neither I nor the team doctor are sure how much playing time Leonard should have. His playing time will be limited. If we see the game getting very intense, we will let Leonard rest." This statement really left fans speechless. As a top-paid player of the Clippers, he is asked to rest during intense moments. This is completely unacceptable to other players. It seems that the Clippers can only rely on Harden this…

Leonard's injury news is full of twists and turns. First, Law Murray, the Clippers' reporter, reported that Leonard would not return against the Hawks at home, with the time being further postponed. However, just a few hours after this news came out, Chris Haynes and Shams suddenly reported that Leonard's status had been adjusted to "probable." Interestingly, the latest injury report from the Clippers also showed that Leonard's status had changed from "out" to "questionable." We don't know if Leonard will play or not, as Rivers said on the "Off Guard" program. He suggested that Leonard should stop creating confusion. Harden is tired; he is working hard now. If he wants to play, he should come back directly instead of making people guess repeatedly. Rivers even mocked, saying that Leonard gives people the impression that he has been injured 1500 times. If, hypothetically, Leonard returns in the next game, it would certainly be a help to Harden. We can't give a definitive answer now, for fear that Leonard might change his mind again. Let's assume Leonard returns; then Harden's pressure would be significantly reduced. This season, Harden averages 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists. When Harden plays, the Clippers have a record of 19 wins and 13 losses. In the two games he missed, the Clippers lost both. The performances of Powell and Zubac without Harden have well demonstrated Harden's value. As Tyronn Lue analyzed today, if Harden doesn't make the All-Star team this season, he would be disappointed. Tyronn Lue believes that Harden is undoubtedly leading the team…

On January 1st, Beijing time, the Spurs hosted the Clippers. In the first quarter, Wenyamadu scored both inside and outside, leading the team to establish a lead. On the Clippers' side, only Harden struggled to support, with the entire team scoring only 17 points in the quarter. At the end of the first quarter, the Spurs had already led by 14 points; in the second quarter, the Clippers' offense warmed up, launching a counterattack with consecutive three-pointers, but they were still unable to stop the Spurs' offense, and the point difference was further widened. At halftime, the Spurs led the Clippers 63-43; after changing sides again, the situation remained the same, with the Clippers completely lost on the offensive end, and the game almost lost its suspense; in the final quarter, the Clippers surrendered early, but the Spurs' bench continued to output, and the game ended with the Spurs defeating the Clippers 122-86. Who would have thought that the first tragedy of the new year would happen to the Clippers. This game clearly shows the gap in talent between the two sides. Under Harden's single-core leadership, it is already very difficult for the team to achieve sixth place in the West. The Clippers now urgently need a second scorer who can sustain output. Good news came as the Clippers' core Leonard welcomed news of his return. According to Law Murray of the Clippers, Leonard aims to return on January 5 (Beijing time) at home against the Hawks. Leonard averages 25.4 points per game in his career with the Clippers, along…

The Clippers Must Lose Against Thunder! Tyronn Lue Needs to Understand Human Relations Recently, the Clippers have been experiencing ups and downs, and they recently achieved a three-game winning streak against the Pelicans. This winning streak has successfully propelled them to fifth place in the Western Conference. This is a good omen, as the Clippers have gone through many fluctuations but now seem to have found some form. They still have back-to-back games ahead, with their next opponent being the Spurs. Perhaps many people are wondering if the Clippers have regained their previous firepower and can continue this momentum? But in fact, things may not be as simple as they seem, especially in the upcoming game against the Thunder, where the Clippers may have to choose to give up. Why do I say this? The Clippers have been playing well recently, but keep in mind that the Thunder is a tough opponent. In their two encounters with the Thunder, the Clippers lost both times! The Thunder's tactical style has left the Clippers somewhat at a loss; they play very fast and aggressively, which has caused considerable trouble for the Clippers' defense. If you ask me, the Clippers should consider how to avoid a fierce battle with the Thunder. How to avoid it? That is to play a little more relaxed in this game, after winning against the Pelicans, the next two games can have a strategic meaning of giving up. The focus is to reduce pressure on the main players, especially allowing Leonard to recover his form instead of burdening…

The Clippers suffered a crushing defeat in their first game of the new year against the Spurs, with the match from start to finish exuding a sense of fatigue and powerlessness. Despite Harden's initial flashes of brilliance, he was unable to change the team's downward trend, while Spurs rookie Wenyamata completely demonstrated his dominance in the game. The team's recent form does not seem to be in good shape, with consecutive back-to-back schedules depleting the players' energy reserves, which was particularly evident in this game. The players' movements were noticeably slower than usual, and their reactions on defense were not timely enough. The Clippers' offense was completely out of sync, with the players' positioning and passing combinations appearing particularly stiff. Even veterans like Harden found it difficult to drive the team's offensive atmosphere, leaving the entire team trapped in a vicious cycle. Coach Tyronn Lue made constant adjustments to the lineup on the sidelines, but no matter who he brought on, he could not change the team's downward trend. In such a situation, even the coaching staff's tactical arrangements seemed somewhat powerless. The Spurs played with ease, with Wenyamata completely dominating Zubac in the paint, showcasing his superior dominance on both offense and defense. The atmosphere on the Clippers' bench was somber, with the players' expressions filled with fatigue and disappointment. This state indeed requires some serious adjustment. By the third quarter, the game had already lost its suspense, and Tyronn Lue decided to let the starting players rest early. Although this decision was somewhat helpless, it was indeed the…