The Clippers have been on a good momentum recently, chasing 7th place in the West with a wave of 6 consecutive wins, only 1 year away from the top 4 in the West5 wins, but unfortunately the weather did not go as expected, George felt unwell against the Kings, and was later confirmed to have a sore groin.
With old injuries still not healing and new ones being added, Clippers reporter Hazarel reported that George was placed on a daily watch list for hip soreness due to excessive strenuous exercise and could be sidelined for 1-2 weeks if he can't return for the game against the Knicks.
George's doubtful appearance could lead to the end of the winning streak, and they will face a wave of devilish fixtures next
On December 17, they played at home against the Knicks, and then ushered in three consecutive away games, on November 19 against the Pacers, on November 21 against the Mavericks, on November 22 against the Thunder, and on November 24 back to the home against the Celtics, due to the time difference, the Thunder and Celtics played only 30 hours apart, which is equivalent to three consecutive back-to-back games.
The Clippers have had a terrible season on the road, winning just four of their 11 games. The next opponents are all strong teams, the Knicks are 4th in the East, the Pacers are 5th in the East, the Mavericks are 4th in the West, the Thunder are 3rd in the West, and the Celtics are first in the league.
With less than two months left on the trade deadline, a losing streak could bring the Clippers back to where they were before liberation, and the quality of the record directly affects how the Clippers operate next, and it's time to test Harden.
George and Leonard are not endurance players, Leonard is full attendance this season, George is absent for one game, and the two are responsible for more than 40% of the Clippers' scoring, and there is a high probability of rotation rest during the 3 consecutive road trips.
Leonard has been on a hot streak lately, shooting 85-of-139 in the last eight games, shooting 612%, an average of 284 points +64 rebounds, once the rotation rests, Harden must take on the offensive duty.
From a ball-handling core to a traditional point guard, Harden has successfully transformed, averaging 20 points +9 per game in the last 8 games6 assists, 49% three-point shooting, and 28 points + 7 rebounds + 15 assists + 4 steals in the game against the Warriors, Harden has a three-point shooting rate of 41 this season8%, a career high.
Harden is 34 years old, the man who averaged 36 points per game is not coming back, and now Harden is more of a team, can make his teammates better, more involved in defense, and play more with experience.