Outperforming his own expectations after the season in which he was an All-Star and All-NBA guard was not expected, but James Harden is doing so as an outlier on the LA Clippers. His consistency has kept the fans’ motors running, and following his performance against the Dallas Mavericks, many are realizing he will repeat the accomplishments of a year ago and is undoubtedly a top-three guard in the Western Conference.
Against Dallas in the first game of a long road trip, Harden posted 41 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists, leading the Clippers in all major categories. He also played 51 minutes in two overtime periods, which is abnormal for a 36-year-old.
That said, following his disappointing 2025 playoff run, Clippers fans would have been looked at sideways for deeming Harden is one of the best at his position, but he clearly is, and has proved that his decline is far off and will not arrive soon.
James Harden is working with nearly nothing on the LA Clippers
James Harden’s situation is so ridiculously unique and challenging that no other superstar in the NBA is going through it, or even something remotely close. Harden does not have his co-star, Kawhi Leonard, who is out with two injuries that co-occurred, Bradley Beal, due to a fractured hip that requires surgery, and is trying to win with a weak second unit that is producing the bare minimum.
Yet, the former MVP had a 41-point triple-double last night, a 35-point triple-double a few nights ago versus the Atlanta Hawks, a 30-piece on the home-opener against the Phoenix Suns, and several other notable stat lines.
The only player who can truly claim to be a consistent support to Harden is Ivica Zubac. He did start a bit out of rhythm, but the Croatian star has bounced back in a way that his point guard has really needed.
Moreover, the Clippers’ loss count is where it is because the team’s third and fourth-best performers are constantly changing. There is no stability, as Bogdan Bogdanovic, John Collins, and Derrick Jones Jr. keep swapping places.
Nonetheless, Harden is on a legendary run this season, and the Clippers need to make the most of it by helping him win. Yet, from a league-wide perspective, he has earned fans of the Clippers the right to still call him an elite point guard in the NBA, even if many others in both conferences are also playing well.