Halfway through the NBA regular season this season, the Western Conference teams are divided into four groups. The Timberwolves and Thunder, two super dark horses, have basically locked up the playoff spots with their outstanding performances. However, due to the lack of playoff experience of these two teams, it is still unknown whether they will be able to achieve excellent results in the playoffs. On the other hand, the Nuggets, as the defending champions, have maintained a winning rate of nearly 7 percent this season.
Their head coach Malone can also give the team's core Jokic a proper rest to ensure he's in the best shape for the playoffs. This gives the Nuggets a definite advantage in the playoffs. The Clippers have had their ups and downs this season, but since Harden joined, the team has a 78 percent win percentage, which ranks first in the league. The addition of Harden has made a huge difference to the team, as he averages 14 net outscores per gameThe 6-point score ranks first in the league. Tyronn Lue has a very high opinion of Harden and thinks he is the team's reliance.
Surprisingly, despite Harden averaging just 11 shots per game3 times, but his true hit percentage was as high as 636%。This means that Harden is very efficient on the court and is able to score effectively for the team. His performance gave the Clippers a huge advantage. However, there are other factors that we need to focus on beyond these regular-season stats. For example, the Timberwolves and Thunder lack playoff experience, which could have an impact on their performance. At the same time, it is also unknown whether the Nuggets' rotation strategy will work as expected.
In addition, we need to take into account the quality and form of the other teams. After all, the NBA's playoffs are a tough battle, and every team will go all out to win. Therefore, for these four Western Conference teams, they need to continue to work hard to improve their strength and form in order to make a difference in the playoffs. In short, the situation of the Western Conference team this season is full of suspense. The rise of the Timberwolves and Thunder, the Nuggets' road to defending their title, and the Clippers' Harden have all brought new variables to the Western Conference landscape.
Who will emerge from the playoffs and who will lift the championship trophy is a question that fans are looking forward to. Let's wait and see how we can witness this battle of giants in the west! Harden's stats have been excellent in the last 36 games, with him ranking first in the league in plus/minus and second in on off. However, he has only 20 percent of his round possession, which ranks 105th in the league. In contrast, the Clippers' Leonard, George and Westbrook all had higher round possession.
Despite Harden's low turnaround percentage, it also shows his selflessness. However, in the All-Star first draft, Harden was suddenly pulled down in the final round, competing with Irving, Edwards and Booker for the last backcourt starting spot. Due to the All-Star bench distribution rules, Harden is likely not able to compete with Curry, Edwards and Booker, and even Irving could be ahead of him. Despite this, Harden said that he doesn't care about personal honors such as MVP, assist king, All-Star, scoring title, etc., and he has bigger goals.
He thinks the league has an unfair attitude towards him, such as the Clippers have a good record, but only Leonard is in the top 10 in the MVP, while Harden has only been selected once. It's unfair that a player like Lillard, who has had an up-and-down season this season, has been able to lock up an All-Star starting spot and be in the top 10 of MVP multiple times. Harden has seen his situation, and he doesn't care if he can be selected as an All-Star. He said the league was really miscalculating, and he needed to rest.
The West's newer generation of stars like Edwards, Alexander and Doncic have all been outstanding this season, but the Clippers players don't care about stats, regular-season records and personal accolades. Harden's ability to be the most selfless star has been recognized by Leonard, Tyronn Lue, and Westbrook. Why can't they succeed?