The 2024 NBA All-Star game is scheduled for February 18th and will be hosted by the city of Indianapolis. The All-Star fan voting recently concluded, and the final round of results has been released. This has got the media and players buzzing around the league and voicing their opinions on who should or should not be an All-Star. Recently, Golden State Warriors forward – Draymond Green chimed in with his opinion on James Harden and his All-Star status on the latest episode of ‘The Draymond Green Show’.
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The Los Angeles Clippers are playing great basketball, and James Harden stands at the helm of the team’s success as the Point Guard. When it comes to his game, the All-Star selection is undeniable. It’s his off-the-court activities that may play a part in the final selection. Draymond Green talked about the selection and said,
“I think James Harden should be an All-Star this year. I am not sure how people are viewing that. But he only missed like the first four games for the Clippers, and then he got traded there. He is playing at an All-Star level and the way their team is playing, I think James Harden is an All-Star.”
Harden has been criticized for his multiple trade requests, which began with the Houston Rockets in 2019. In 2023, he was again traded by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2023. These requests have led to a negative connotation about the player in the minds of the media and the fans. Harden started the year missing the first three games for the Sixers before getting traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.
After the trade, the Clippers struggled to build chemistry – losing their first five games. However, the team has been on a roll since then and currently stands fourth in the Western Conference.
Referencing the above events, Green said, “Will people judge him on what’s happened over the past few years? That’s the question. But James Harden should be an All-Star this year. James Harden is playing at an All-Star level.”
The final results of the fan voting had Harden fourth in the Western Conference list of guards. Luka Doncic and Stephen Curry occupied the top two spots. Now, it’s up to the coaches and media members to put their votes in. If things stand as it is, the Clippers guard will be coming off the bench in the coveted All-Star game.
James Harden’s performance in 2023-24
There were many questions about the chemistry between the Clippers superstars after the addition of James Harden. With the roster already containing players like Kwahi Leonard, Paul George, and Russell Westbrook, there were legitimate concerns about the production of each of the players. However, the team has proved the critics wrong, and it all started with Westbrook agreeing to come off the bench. In addition, Harden has accepted his role as a facilitator and no longer needs to shoot in bulk to assert his impact.
The Beard is averaging 16.9 points per game and 8.4 assists per game. He is shooting at a highly efficient 45.2% from the field and 41.9% from the three-point line. The guard is taking much fewer shots than he is traditionally used to. This has resulted in the Clippers ranking 5th in offense around the league. With so many star players in the team and an incredibly talented head coach, the Clippers fans will be hoping to have a shot at the NBA Championship this season.
