After Saturday afternoon's playoff opener, the LA Clippers will officially head into Game 2 against the Denver Nuggets down 0-1. And yet, Clippers fans have to be feeling as optimistic as ever about their team's chances of going deep in the postseason.
What we witnessed on Saturday was one of the best Game 1s in recent playoff memory, for any team. This series was basically thought to be a coin flip going into it, and the incredible finish we saw at the end of regulation and overtime only served to confirm that perception.
It was a back-and-forth affair, where neither team was making enough mistakes to put themselves completely out of it. But the most encouraging aspect of this game for Clippers fans, even despite the loss, was James Harden.
Uno put up a team-leading 32 points on 11-for-22 shooting and 4-for-9 from three, along with 11 assists. Harden was very clearly LA's best player from start to finish, and it is his steady play that should be giving Clipper nation hope for not only this series, but the rest of the playoffs as well.
Harden's play has Clippers fans thinking championship
Why should we be so encouraged by Harden's play? There's a few reasons. The first of which being the fact that should he continue his current trajectory, it would serve to reverse what has been a career-defining trend for James. It was just one game, but coming up so clutch for LA, even in a loss, is the opposite of what Harden has done so many other times he needed to step up in the past with everything on the line.
There's no hiding the fact that James has been a massive reason for the Clippers' success all season long, and his importance to this team is extremely well-documented. But carrying that production over to the playoffs has been his Achilles heel in the past. Seeing him put up a big outing under the most pressure is an excellent sign for what we will see from him in the coming weeks.
The other big reason why Harden's play is a good omen for the Clippers has to do with his star teammate. Kawhi Leonard was very happy to make it through the regular season healthy, but we know that seeing him healthy for an entire postseason is a rare sight in this day and age.
Harden taking some pressure off Leonard is a very good thing for LA's championship hopes. If Kawhi is to make it through multiple playoff rounds without his body breaking down, letting James do as much as he is comfortable doing is the wise move. All things considered, Clippers fans should feel about as much optimism as one could expect after a loss in Game 1.