Will Harden make the Clippers worse?

[bdonovan]

People are making a big deal of Clips losing 6 games after Harden joined. And comparing it to the 5 game losing streak after Westbrook joining the Clips (Feb 23, 2023).

But, what happened after that?

https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAC/2023_games.html

You can see that after the 5 game losing streak, some of which was likely due to the adjustment of adding a star to the roster, the Clippers went 11-5 (a winning percentage of %68.75) with Westbrook on the team.

https://i.postimg.cc/wMtZj25P/Screenshot-2023-11-16-at-4-38-25-PM.png


That's the part few are mentioning. Everyone talks about the initial losing streak of a new starting player joining, but I don't see a lot of coverage of what happened after the Clippers figured out how to play with Westbrook in the lineup. Similarly, this season, prior to Harden joining, the Clips with Westbrook started off 3-1.

What happens after the adjustment with Harden?

[FultzNationRISE]

That's the part few are mentioning. Everyone talks about the initial losing streak of a new starting player joining, but I don't see a lot of coverage of what happened after the Clippers figured out how to play with Westbrook in the lineup. Similarly, this season, prior to Harden joining, the Clips with Westbrook started off 3-1.

What happens after the adjustment with Harden?



What happens is people in suburbia will freak out and complain Harden is being “SOFT” even tho thats exactly what theyve been demanding.

He will then begin bleaching his skin so that he can get away with fouls that only white people, foreigners, college students with an acceptable form of ID, and active duty service members are allowed to commit.

[ImKobe]

I remember people counting them out last year and saying that WB made them worse but at the time the team had some injury problems as well as them still playing Marcus Morris when that guy was giving them absolutely nothing in that stretch. Injuries robbed them of any chance of advancing in the Playoffs but Russ looked good with Kawhi & PG so the trolls were wrong per usual.

In this current 5-game stretch w/ Harden I'd chalk it up to Kawhi not being up to par (18 ppg, 4 games under 20 points) and them playing 4 out of 5 on the road with just 1 day of rest between games while trying to put it together on the fly. Need to see more than that to count them out.

[Charlie Sheen]

The Harden addition is more like Russ joining the Lakers. By the time Russ got to the Clippers it really felt like he had come to terms with not being the player he used to be.

Additionally, both teams undervalued the contributions of the players they traded away.

[FultzNationRISE]

The Harden addition is more like Russ joining the Lakers. By the time Russ got to the Clippers it really felt like he had come to terms with not being the player he used to be.

Additionally, both teams undervalued the contributions of the players they traded away.


Well put.

[Duffy Pratt]

It’s not entirely Harden. It’s more that the trade made no sense. They lost on defense and they are now way too small. Harden and Westbrook have incompatible styles. And they now have four guys who are ball dominant stars who will have to figure out how to change their game. We know Leonard is capable of it, since he did it with the Spurs. But will he be happy with that? And George seems fairly comfortable with it. So they might be able to puzzle that part of it out. But even if that works, they will be small and slow and get killed by any team with a competent big.

[ArbitraryWater]

You are making a point about a sample in which the Clips got 2 free wins in the last 2 games lol.

Blazers and Suns had their B-C squads, Suns actively tried to lose.

[HylianNightmare]

Yes

[Xiao Yao You]

The Los Angeles Clippers will bring Russell Westbrook off the bench in Friday’s in-season tournament game against the Houston Rockets, (https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10097743-sources-russell-westbrook-will-come-off-bench-for-clippers-tonight) league sources tell Bleacher Report. Swingman Terance Mann will start for the first time this season in place of Westbrook, sources say.

– via Chris Haynes @ Bleacher Report (https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10097743-sources-russell-westbrook-will-come-off-bench-for-clippers-tonight)



respect!

It's where he belongs. He can thrive in that role

[tontoz]

respect!

It's where he belongs. He can thrive in that role


Apparently Russ requested it :lebronamazed:

[Xiao Yao You]

Apparently Russ requested it :lebronamazed:

yep. It's the best place for him. Never thought they should have started him. With his energy he can excel off the bench

[FultzNationRISE]

I've never understood why coming off the bench is treated as such a sensitive issue.

Who cares if you start or not? If I was a team's best player and there was some logical reason why we could perform better with me coming off the bench, I'd be like sure whatever lets do it. As long as they're playing you the minutes you're worth and have you out there at the end if you deserve to be, starting the game on the bench is so not a big deal.

Guys who whine about it or refuse it clearly have an abundance of external pride masking internal insecurity.

[elementally morale]

Apparently Russ requested it :lebronamazed:

If I had to pick one I would've gone the other way: Harden off the bench. Bench needs scoring and ball dominance is less of a factor.

[Axe]

If I had to pick one I would've gone the other way: Harden off the bench. Bench needs scoring and ball dominance is less of a factor.
Would be a good idea if harden is still effective as a sixth man of the team.

[SATAN]

Clutch 3 for the W. Best on court.

https://media.tenor.com/images/fbe180cfb5957970d5cc689c1be77697/tenor.gif

[bdonovan]

respect!

It's where he belongs. He can thrive in that role

The adjustment seemed to work. With Westbrook, coming off the bench, the big other three had 20+ point games each. The Clippers pull off a win against the 6-3 rockets.

https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/401584125

[ImKobe]

But but I thought Russ was a cancer & was unwilling to take a step back to help his team win? That's what the LeFraudster fans told me!

Also, called this move a week ahead of time. I just can't stop winning.

[ShawkFactory]

But but I thought Russ was a cancer & was unwilling to take a step back to help his team win? That's what the LeFraudster fans told me!

Also, called this move a week ahead of time. I just can't stop winning.

He was.

[j3lademaster]

I've never understood why coming off the bench is treated as such a sensitive issue.


Guys who whine about it or refuse it clearly have an abundance of external pride masking internal insecurity.
So you do understand, since you answered your own question at the end.

[ArbitraryWater]

But but I thought Russ was a cancer & was unwilling to take a step back to help his team win? That's what the LeFraudster fans told me!

Also, called this move a week ahead of time. I just can't stop winning.

he literally said he wouldnt, as a laker.

[ImKobe]

He was.

He started coming off the bench 4 games into the season last year.. He was willing to do whatever to help the team, even if he didn't like it. Also, it didn't help that Lakers had injuries while Russ was the healthiest player on the team, so he was going to be a starter his 1st year regardless with Bran injured & all. He was brought to LA to take the load off Bran, him not getting benched late in games is on the coach.

Bran just couldn't get the best out of Russ & that's fine. He's a much better fit on the Clippers. With Harden I knew one of them had to sacrifice and it wasn't going to be James at this point in their careers.

[ShawkFactory]

He started coming off the bench 4 games into the season last year.. He was willing to do whatever to help the team, even if he didn't like it. Also, it didn't help that Lakers had injuries while Russ was the healthiest player on the team, so he was going to be a starter his 1st year regardless with Bran injured & all. He was brought to LA to take the load off Bran, him not getting benched late in games is on the coach.

Bran just couldn't get the best out of Russ & that's fine. He's a much better fit on the Clippers. With Harden I knew one of them had to sacrifice and it wasn't going to be James at this point in their careers.

That’s fair. I’ve low key always kind of admired Russ. Not necessarily his game and the comically dumb decisions he’s always made. But 100% of the time he’s played with conviction and leaves everything out there. At the end of the day I think that deserves respect honestly.

Kind of like Jamies Winston. You know that ultimately he’s going to kill you but at least he goes for it. I don’t know..

[Xiao Yao You]

That’s fair. I’ve low key always kind of admired Russ. Not necessarily his game and the comically dumb decisions he’s always made. But 100% of the time he’s played with conviction and leaves everything out there. At the end of the day I think that deserves respect honestly.

Kind of like Jamies Winston. You know that ultimately he’s going to kill you but at least he goes for it. I don’t know..

yep. Like Ai he is a warrior just not a smart player. Perfect for a 6th man role though. One that AI could never acccept

[ImKobe]

That’s fair. I’ve low key always kind of admired Russ. Not necessarily his game and the comically dumb decisions he’s always made. But 100% of the time he’s played with conviction and leaves everything out there. At the end of the day I think that deserves respect honestly.

Kind of like Jamies Winston. You know that ultimately he’s going to kill you but at least he goes for it. I don’t know..

Yeah he always gives his all no matter what. There was a small stretch on the Lakers where he was hesitant to shoot due to all the criticism but he got out of it and picked up his play post-ASB that first year and he proved it on the Clippers last year that he can still be a valuable asset to a Playoff team. It sucks that he injured his shooting hand so much & that the league forced him to change his FT routine which really tanked his efficiency as a scorer, not that he was ever efficient, but it makes it that much harder for him to do his thing when teams don't respect his shot at all.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Don't mind Lue playing him at the end of games.

I mean, between PG/Kawhi/Harden, you could say there's only one basketball....but sitting Russ in crunchtime is more than ideal.