The Clippers narrowly beat the Heat by eight points on the road, and this game was both good news and bad news for the Clippers. Although they managed to win the game, the opponent Heat did not show the absolute advantage of the Clippers' strength in the field and score in the absence of Herro and Jimmy Butler's "undercover". In the first half, the Clippers seemed to be trying some new tactical ideas, but those experiments ended in failure. The Clippers' strong tactics, which were supposed to have Harden at the core and built around him playing star-studded, looked a bit chaotic in the first half.
In the early stages of the game, Harden didn't touch the ball too often, but stood at 45 degrees on the weak side, crouching as a tool man, watching George, Zubac and Leonard work together. At the beginning of the game, the Clippers seemed to be conducting a "glass of wine to release military power", which made people feel that they were a little confused about the tactical direction. Although the Clippers' Harden-centered tactics worked for a while, in the course of the game, it seemed to be more of a "catch-the-horse" approach, reminiscent of the five-game losing streak at the beginning of the season.
The Clippers chose the "toughest path", and against a team with mediocre defense, this tactic may have merit, but in the face of the tough-guy defensive Heat, the low-consumption style of play seems too reluctant. The Heat's wing players are all defensive tough guys, and the Clippers have adopted a one-on-one tough approach on the offensive end, especially when Leonard plays Butler with his back in the low post and George singles Haysmith, although he can score, but it pays a big price.
Encouragingly, as the game entered the second quarter, Harden regained possession of the ball, thus solving the problem of cracking the Heat's defense. Under Harden's organization, the Clippers showed a clearer tactical design, especially in the third quarter, when Harden dominated the team's offense with the role of brain. Through tactical tactics such as pick-and-rolls and false screens, the Clippers successfully created open opportunities that fully demonstrated Harden's vision and ball handling ability.
The nature of the game is chaotic, and while tactical design can improve the controllability of the game, the individual ability of the players is still crucial when it matters most. Harden's wonderful performance at the beginning of the fourth quarter, through the step-back three-point play into "3+1", directly decided the outcome of the game. Although Harden has slipped in terms of physical strength and explosiveness, he has still been able to show the value of a star in crunch time.
The Clippers had some twists and turns in the game, trying different tactical ideas, but ultimately managed to win under Harden. Harden's brain and individual ability became a key factor in the Clippers' victory. In future games, the Clippers may need to be more flexible in adjusting their tactics and bringing out the best in each player to ensure that their tactics are effective.