The NBA community hasn’t embraced James Harden’s arrival to the Los Angeles Clippers much with open arms. The Clippers’ consistent losses since James Harden’s arrival have earned the Beard much scrutiny and trolling, even from announcers of other rival teams. The Dallas Mavericks’ announcer, Brian Dameris, perhaps seemed to have quite some pent-up frustration against Harden when the Clippers arrived at the American Airlines Arena.
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Dameris went viral last week after brutally ranting about James Harden, calling the Clippers’ new guard the ‘problem.’ Though the Mavs announcer received ample support from fans, the network Bally Sports Southwest has since deleted the clip from their Twitter account.
While many in the NBA community agree with the truth in the announcer’s statements, some others, including James Harden himself, would tend to contest Dameris’ claims.
For various reasons, James Harden has changed four teams in the past four years. Though Harden wasn’t initially aware of these statements made by the Mavs announcer, he was shocked and taken back when he learned the same. As per Bleacher Report, Harden said,
“He doesn’t know me or the situation. That would be f*cked up if I went at him and started being disrespectful to him but I can’t. They don’t know anything. They just go off what they see on social media or hearsay.”
James Harden fires back at Mavs broadcaster Brian Dameris
“He doesn’t know me or the situation. That would be f*cked up if I went at him and started being disrespectful to him but I can’t. They don’t know anything. They just go off what they see on social media or hearsay.”… pic.twitter.com/qG9QDo17j2
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 15, 2023
The Clippers guard has reiterated that he is ready to get back in shape to fit in better with the Clippers. He wants the league to notice him winning in his new team. The Beard long pushed this trade to Los Angeles since the off-season. However, now that the Clippers are on a losing streak after Harden’s arrival, it seems like the 2018 MVP needs to revamp his strategies to fit in better with the team.
The Clippers have lost six matches in a row since James Harden’s arrival
The LA Clippers recently lost their In-Season Tournament game against the Denver Nuggets, virtually marking their exit from the tournament’s group stage. This loss accounts for the Clippers’ sixth loss since Harden’s arrival in the team. Though the Beard contributed 21 points to the final scoreline, it wasn’t enough for the Clippers to guarantee a win.
As Bleacher Report notes, Harden is warming up to the environment and the players in Los Angeles. He explained how he has been going off the ball for the past few games and is trying to find a balance between that and getting more pick and rolls.
Harden added, “Our coaching staff and my teammates have communicated about getting me in more pick-and-roll sets. We have a lot of talent, so we’re just trying to accommodate and make sure everyone is happy. We’re trying to get to what works to make us the best Clippers team.”
Harden says it’s difficult to get into real basketball shape when he hasn’t attended training camp with the team. As per the Beard, it might take him ten more games to fit in with his new Clippers team eventually. Until then, perhaps losses would be a tough part for the team to start their new season.
