In the new season of the NBA League, not only is the smell of gunpowder on the court, but the battles off the court are also intensifying!
After the All-Star break, the feud between Harden and Rivers reignited. Looking back at the origins, it goes back to the moment when Harden was first traded to the Clippers, and he mentioned an experience he had with the 76ers in an interview. Harden said he was in charge of playmaking when he was with the 76ers, giving some ball to the team, and stressed that he didn't want to be a system player because he was a system himself. And the 76ers' repeated losses in the playoffs are not an offensive problem for Harden.
Then, Harden directly blamed the Philadelphia 76ers' coaching staff. He said he could have had more potential to play, but was held back by the coaching staff. Harden didn't fully display his scoring and playmaking talents with the 76ers, and Rivers Sr. directly became the reason why Harden couldn't play.
When Rivers Sr. heard this, he was furious. Since taking over the Bucks, he has earned Eastern Conference All-Star status with Coach Griffin's savings. Asked about this, he responded unceremoniously: "Listen, I'm not Harden's coach anymore, I don't need to answer these questions." Whatever he wants to say, you should ask him. That's not what I'm saying. ”
From the mentor-apprentice camaraderie to the open conflict, Harden's words and Rivers' response have been validated this season. The Clippers' performance also confirmed Harden's rhetoric. After Harden joined the Clippers, he went through a period of adaptation and bad luck. But when everyone was expecting his jokes, Willis stepped up and unleashed Harden's playmaking talent to help the Clippers lead all the way to the top of the West temporarily.
Today, the Clippers sit third in the West with a 36-17 record. George and Jr. are also All-Stars, and the Clippers have been upgraded from a small boat to a galactic giant.
Although Harden's points per game average has dropped this season, that's understandable considering the reality of the Clippers. His shooting efficiency has improved, and his true shooting percentage has even surpassed that of the Rockets, reaching 641%。As the team's ball-handling core, Harden's assist-to-turnover ratio is also improving, averaging just 25 turnovers, assist-to-turnover ratio reached 33, is a career high. The addition of Harden allowed George and Xiaoka to concentrate on both offense and defense, and they were selected as All-Stars.
However, looking back at Rivers' performance, leading the Bucks to a slump, tied with the worst Wizards. Rivers has always been able to give his opponents a chance to advance, and that was shown back when he led the Celtics to a championship. As a person who has been convinced by Harden, I hope that the Clippers can speak directly with their strength in the playoffs and will no longer be easily reversed by opponents!