A game against the reigning champion Denver Nuggets was the last thing the Los Angeles Clippers needed on their schedule as they aimed to get their first win with James Harden on the roster. But for a few moments, it seemed like the Clippers had what it took to beat the Nuggets on Tuesday night, going out to a seven-point lead late in the fourth quarter.

Alas, Nikola Jokic feasted on the Clippers' small-ball lineup, and the Clippers couldn't take advantage on the offensive end of the floor, with a wedgie from Paul George punctuating a 111-108 loss for LA — their sixth consecutive defeat. But at the very least, Harden, who had 21 points and four assists on 7-15 shooting from the field, looked a lot better out there on the court; in fact, the Beard believes that despite the loss, he and the Clippers are headed towards the right direction.

“Tonight was definitely another step in the right direction. Just keep it moving,” Harden told reporters after the Clippers' defeat, per Andrew Greif of LA Times. “I keep reiterating that I didn't have a training camp or a preseason so I'm kinda learning on the fly for a new team. Also getting myself best in James Harden shape, game shape, is very very important.”

Nevertheless, for James Harden, there were a few plays that were quite concerning, although some of that isn't the Beard's fault. Starting with the things Harden can control, it was a bit rough to witness him miss easy layups he can nail in his sleep; on one possession in the fourth, Harden managed to get all the way to the hoop against Nikola Jokic, but the Clippers star missed a lefty layup, his bread and butter besides his stepback.

It was also concerning that Harden found himself guarding Jokic on multiple occasions, taxing him even further especially when he's not in tip-top shape quite yet, although the blame for that falls on the Clippers coaching staff for sure after they went small for prolonged stretches.

Whatever the case may be, Harden and the Clippers need to figure it out, and quickly, starting with their Friday NBA In-Season Tournament contest against the scorching-hot Houston Rockets.