The Los Angeles Clippers have lost a substantial amount of star-power with Paul George and Russell Westbrook’s departure over the summer. To make matters worse, Kawhi Leonard is sidelined indefinitely. At the moment, James Harden is their best and only bet to make an impact in the new season.
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Harden has his skeptics and believers in equal measure, though. Gilbert Arenas and the Gil’s Arena panel discussed what role Harden would have to play for the Clippers in Kawhi’s absence. There’s no doubt on the talent and skill Harden possesses.
But being a team leader requires more. He cannot show up in the arena with the lackadaisical attitude that has plagued and overshadowed his on-court brilliance at times.
Arenas believes that he has noticed a lot of changes in Harden’s game. He added, “Remember, he has been tamed for a while now.”
Perhaps it is the right time and opportunity for Harden to prove himself.
The 35-year-old has been a part of several franchises over the years. However, he has not led a team for a long time.
Before joining the Clippers, he was with the Philadelphia 76ers for a season-and-a-half that’s mostly forgettable. There, he remained mired in controversies and ended up forcing a trade. In any case, even if he played with the 76ers, he would have still been under Joel Embiid’s leadership. Before that, he was with the Brooklyn Nets, who also had stars of Harden’s caliber or better.
So, it’s understandable why Harden did not get an opportunity to be a leader of late. He can still turn things around according to Arenas, even if he looks unnatural in that role.
Harden has been brilliant in the first two games
The Clippers played their season opener against the Phoenix Suns. They lost the game 113-116 but Harden was brilliant in the 40 minutes he spent on the floor. The 10-time All-Star dropped 29 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists and tried his level best to help his team kickstart the campaign with a victory.
The Clippers had a better outing in game two. They defeated the Nuggets 109-104 and Harden was leading his team from the front again. He had 23 points, six rebounds, and 16 assists. He had great support from Norman Powell with a 37-point performance and Ivica Zubac with a 24 points, 15 rebounds performance.
Zubac and Harden are a formidable duo as well. The Beard likes to sharpen his pick-and-roll game with the Croatian. Going deep into the season, especially if Kawhi fails to make a comeback, this duo will become more crucial for the team’s success.
