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During their 109-104 win over the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers star James Harden posted a stat line not seen by the franchise over the last 40 seasons, per Stat Mamba. Harden scored 23 points, six rebounds and 16 assists.
Not to be outdone, Clippers guard Norman Powell scored 37 points on 14-of-21 shooting, including 7-of-11 from three-point range. Los Angeles took Nikola Jokic's best shot as the 2023-24 NBA MVP scored 41 points on 14-of-26 shooting with nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block.
The big difference maker was Clippers' backup guard Amir Coffey, who was +22 in 24 minutes despite going 0-for-5 from the floor.
Harden is showing his versatility after taking a heavier shooting role in the Clippers' first game, hoisting up 28 shots. Against Denver, he was much more controlled with only 11 shots, but he still scored 23 points and distributed 16 assists.
Clippers trying to find their way
There still doesn't appear to be much of a firm timeline for Kawhi Leonard's return. Realistically, even with Leonard, the Clippers aren't expected to make much of a splash in the Western Conference. Paul George is now with the Philadelphia 76ers. Harden is 35 years old, and Leonard is 33.
PJ Tucker is seeking a trade just as the season began, per Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes.
“Los Angeles Clippers granted permission for PJ Tucker's agent Andre Buck to speak with other teams to facilitate working on a trade. Both sides continue to work together while the veteran remains away from the team waiting for an opportunity to contribute to winning.”
Like usual, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith would likely want to be traded away from the Clippers after ranting about Leonard being the worst superstar in any sport.
“I'm going to say it for the last time. He is a superstar when he's healthy. On the basketball court, as far as I'm concerned, a top five player on the planet. [But] I can make a legitimate argument that Kawhi Leonard is the worst superstar in the history of any sport. You can't have somebody like that and it's beneficial. Who's gonna miss work half of the time, and does absolutely nothing to promote your product or your brand. He is the poster child for what not to be as a star in any sport,” Smith said.
“This brother gets every perk. Don't get me started with the private jets and everything like that. I'm not even mad at it if you're playing. But when you miss half the games, when you miss 15 of the past 19 playoff games, when you're never healthy when it counts but yet you sit up here and get every perk under the sun, it's problematic,” Smith added.
The Clippers traded away their future for him, and Leonard has provided little value in return to the franchise. He's only played over 60 games once in the last seven seasons.
