Since Harden joined the Clippers, the team has suffered a five-game losing streak, and Harden's reputation has deteriorated, and with Wei Shao taking care of the overall situation and taking the initiative to request to go to the bench, the Clippers have gradually returned to the right track, and have achieved an 8-3 record. And according to statistics, when Leonard, Harden, and George are on the floor at the same time, the Clippers have a net efficiency of +204. Ranked first in the league; At this time, their offensive efficiency also reached 124, ranking first in the league; The defensive efficiency is also 1033. Ranked first in the league; The three-point shooting rate also came to 39%, ranking first in the league!
Clearly, the Clippers are moving in a good direction right now. With the improvement of the record, the Clippers have now achieved 11 wins and 10 losses, and the winning rate has returned to more than 50%, ranking 9th in the West. And the team's big player Harden has gradually found a tacit understanding with the team, and his condition is getting better and better. So far this season, Harden has averaged 158 points 44 rebounds 68 assists 16 steals 05 blocks, 46% shooting from the field and 40% from three-point range4% and 85 free throw percentage3%, although the data has dropped significantly compared to last season, but the efficiency has remained quite good. And as the season has progressed, Harden's form has shown clear signs of recovery. Obviously, Harden is indeed a better fit to stay in the starting lineup than Westbrook, and perhaps this is the best reward for the team's owner Ballmer's big investment.
And with the recovery of Harden's form, it is undoubtedly a huge positive for the Clippers. The arrival of Harden not only further solves the problem of poor team organization, but also effectively shares the pressure on Leonard and George's offensive end, enriches Tyronn Lue's tactical system, and gives the Clippers a more reliable option at critical moments. These are all extremely important for the current Clippers team. And the recovery of the record seems to have also allowed the Big Four to find a way to coexist, and their current cooperation is becoming more and more skilled and tacit, and the Clippers, a luxury battleship, has finally ushered in their honeymoon period.
Judging from the current momentum, the gap between the Clippers and the leader Timberwolves is not too big, and the Timberwolves currently have a 17-4 record, six wins ahead of the Clippers, which is obviously not too big a gap for the Clippers with 61 games left this season. Looking at the current Clippers team, the strength of all positions is extremely balanced, the offensive and defensive ends are also extremely balanced, and the depth of the roster is also very strong, and they seem to have all the elements to compete for a championship. Although the current competitive environment in the Western Conference is very harsh, with the current situation of the Clippers, as long as they can maintain the current development trend, they still retain the possibility of competing for the championship this season. And there are more than 60 games left for the Clippers to adjust, which gives them plenty of time to continue to adjust to each other. Maybe the giants may not be able to win the championship, but it will obviously be more difficult without the giants. And that's when the chemistry of these giants really starts to happen, that's when the alliance is really scared.
How far do you think the Clippers can go this season?