As someone who started off his career as a shooting guard and eventually transitioned into playing point, James Harden has seen both sides of the ball. However, unfortunately for him, the Los Angeles Clippers point guard hasn’t been able to shake off the rust lately, leading to NBA legend Jamal Crawford’s blunt take on the crossroads of his NBA career that Harden is standing on.
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Being the fourth overall seed in the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Clippers currently have a 47-28 record so far. At first glance, there doesn’t seem to be much cause for concern. However, there have been problems brewing within the squad, mainly originating at their point guard position.
James Harden seems to be in somewhat of a slump lately. At first, Harden’s teammates were able to pick up the slack with their efforts on both ends of the floor. But now, things have started to affect the team as a whole, something that has drawn honest feedback from Jamal Crawford.
Making an appearance on the NBA on TNT show, Jamal Crawford was joined by former All-Star & Warriors point guard, Baron Davis. Both Davis and Crawford got into the James Harden situation up in LA, and this was what J-Crossover came up with, during his time on Inside the NBA.
“An engaged James Harden is the best James Harden you’re gonna get. But, he doesn’t have time to pick and choose when he’s gonna be engaged right now. He’s in the perfect spot being the third option. It’s not like in Philly, it’s not like in Houston where he had to be the number one guy. He’s point guard, we don’t need 30-point-10-assist James Harden but we still need 20 & 12…This may be one of the last chances he has with this kind of a role on a team this great with a chance to actually do something.”
Jamal Crawford made a compelling argument regarding James Harden’s career. A 34-year-old veteran now, James Harden may not have three to five years left in the tank. So, if Harden does want to win a championship, there may not be a better chance that comes along for him than with the Clippers. The team has two perennial All-Stars who are excellent on both offense and defense, followed by Harden as the third option. If and when Harden fails to deliver, the team has another All-Star point guard, Russell Westbrook as his backup option. So, when Crawford said this may be one of the last chances left for Harden, he was only preaching facts.
Can James Harden get his mojo back before the playoffs?
The Los Angeles Clippers have seemingly split their last 10 games right down the middle. Going 5-5 in their previous outings may seem like a neutral and equal outcome, however, that is not the case with LAC. And, like it or not, James Harden has been a focal point behind the Clippers’ struggles.
In his last 12 games, Harden has not been able to cross or let alone touch the 20-point threshold. While that is something that can be overlooked, having a glimpse at Harden’s shooting numbers from the field goes on to tell a different story. A quick glance is enough for anyone to conclude that The Beard hasn’t been in his bag lately. His shooting numbers have been atrocious lately, automatically bringing his season averages down by a bunch.
To put things in context, Harden has attempted 44 field goals in his last five games and has only made 14 of those. Not to mention the multiple single-point games this past month, which only makes things more alarming. And now, it seems as if it has started to affect his teammates extensively.
If the Clippers hope to make a deep playoff run, the team will have to find a quick solution for Harden’s struggles before the postseason starts.
