Harden is in a slump, small card dependence**, All-Star suspense, and the Rockets are troubled.
And after this game, the Clippers were defeated by 37 points in the Celtics' game, which was really disappointing. Leonard was injured and sidelined, and Harden was also frustrated, he scored 14 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 4 turnovers and 1 block, ranking last on the team with -34 statistics. In addition, due to Leonard's absence, Harden scored -51, which was also the team's worst so far.
Harden has played poorly in the last two games, and many have said he has "small card dependency". This also means that when Leonard plays well, Harden can easily control the whole court, whether it is on the offensive end or on the offensive end, he can easily complete his tasks. However, without Leonard, Harden is a mess. In the last round, he ended in exhaustion, and this time, he was unable to set a record of 21 points in the first quarter against the Celtics.
Many people still have a negative attitude towards Harden, feeling that he can't play at the level he should have against the giants. The match against Celtic and his performances in many important tournaments, as well as against strong opponents, were regrettable, especially in the final showdown. Such results have greatly diminished his value in the Houston and 76ers eras.
Harden isn't in great shape, and it's hard for him to make the NBA playoffs. This season, he's returning to the West to bolster the NBA's lineup of guards, not just players like Curry and Doncic, but Alexander. It was a very difficult decision for Harden.
Although Harden won the MVP last season, he didn't make it to the NBA and didn't make it to the bench, which made many people doubt him. It's clear that Harden is still very concerned about making it to the All-Star Game because it proves his popularity and ability, but he still has to play better on the court.
Harden will lead the Clippers against the Hornets and the Memphis Grizzlies, hoping that he can end his unbeaten run and give the team a strong recovery. But it's not easy to do that, and hopefully he can play well.