The miserable start of James Harden in the Los Angeles Clippers’ jersey finally ended in the recent home game against the Houston Rockets. Following a difficult past few months, the point guard scored a 3-pointer from the wing and earned a foul to put his side in the lead. With six seconds left on the clock, it eventually turned out to become the game-winning shot as the hosts registered their third win of the campaign. The team’s star player, Paul George, later reflected on the moment in his show, Podcast with P, as he gave his props to James.
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“It was definitely the monkey off our back,” the 33-year-old stated while talking about the victory. He also admitted how “the expectation change, the energy change, that attitude going into games change” following this win. Paul then discussed the game-winning possession as he shed the spotlight on the 2-time champion teammate Kawhi Leonard.
“Kawhi obviously made the play,” George mentioned before highlighting the influence of Harden on the entire franchise. The small forward stated how Leonard had acknowledged
“James is a top 75 player all time”
before praising the 34-year-old. Paul believed, “That’s what’s the beauty about this team,” reflecting on the star power of the squad following James’ addition.
“We can all pass up a shot, and the ball will still be in someone’s hand that’s clutch,”
he added to establish his point.
Soon after that, the 8x All-Star explained how life came full circle for the Clippers right after that moment. The pressure was building on the team as they had failed to win a match since the arrival of the 2018 MVP in the City of Angels. “Now he is the one that wins us the game,” Paul highlighted as his team won after six consecutive defeats.
James Harden was apparently confident during the clutch moment
While talking about the 4-point play, he mentioned his willingness to “Get the shot up.” “That’s something I work on every single day,” he stated before adding, “I have confidence in it”. Describing the victory as a “Sign of relief,” the 10x All-Star shifted his focus to the “Bigger picture.” He declared how the Clippers were “Trynna be the last team standing” despite the tough start to their regular season.
It showcased the belief of Harden on the team as well as on himself. With the odds stacked against them, the journey ahead is set to be tough for both parties. As resilience takes the forefront from here on, the underdogs aim to march on with a common goal.
