The Big Four soared 86 points, and Harden showed his edge!A steal against the sky helps the team counterattack
On December 12, when the Clippers faced Portland, the four combined to score 86 points, with Harden leading the way. Harden pulled the score back with his magical kick at the most important moment, and he also faced the referee directly to help the Clippers win the game, which made Tyronn Lue very embarrassed.
In this game, the Clippers did not play well, and their opponent was Portland, who only won six in a row. Prior to the fourth quarter, Portland didn't show a strong defense, and the Clippers kept making mistakes that gave them a little chance. However, in the final minute, the Clippers played a tight defense and played with a superstar sportsmanship.
Interestingly, when the game started, only two of the Clippers' three stars were still on the court. Although Harden performed well, scoring 20 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists, Harden did not get any shots and scoring opportunities in the first 37 minutes of the fourth quarter. He shot very little, scored four goals in the first quarter and missed a single free throw, and ended up with a 3-pointer and yet to provide an assist. On the contrary, George and Jr. played well in the fourth quarter, especially George, who shot 2-of-8 and got more shots, showing that he was in an important position on the team.
Harden was a complete spectator in this game, and he only had a few shots in a game, which made it difficult for many people to accept. Perhaps, the team should give Harden a better position, instead of being like he is now, just running, dribbling the ball, but not having the opportunity to attack.
Harden, in particular, scored a beautiful shot near the end of the game that destroyed the Trail Blazers' chances to catch up. There are still 21 hours leftAt 2, Portland tried to tie with a three-pointer, at which point Harden stepped up to stop the opponent's attack and knocked it off the court. This defying defense became the key to the whole game and the Clippers' victory.
At the 21-second mark, Harden finally challenged his opponent by rejecting a referee's decision, insisting that he had kicked the ball to the opponent's limbs. Harden has contributed a lot in this battle, not only on offense, but also on his defense. At the same time, it also means that the Clippers may have to give Harden more space to shoot and shoot.