When many expected a left, the LA Clippers took a right after James Harden scored 50 against the Detroit Pistons, who have been an Eastern Conference playoff lock this season. Harden showed the Clippers still have lots of fight left in them.
Harden's 50-ball displayed an aggressive tone and standard for the rest of the league. He wants to claim his first ring while being written as the greatest player in franchise history by attaining the team's first NBA Finals appearance and series win.
However, between when the all-star break ended and Harden's season-high, the Clippers timbered to rock bottom. Head coach Tyronn Lue faced media criticism, Kawhi Leonard's ramp-up was stagnant, and the deadline seemed to be a failure for executive Lawrence Frank.
Furthermore, the pre-season predictors were feeling good about their record projection on the Clippers. Through several losses, LA made it evident they should have traded for another star by February.
Nonetheless, Leonard and Co. have followed Harden's energy shift. The entire roster has proven to be egoless, and this selfless mentality quickly compelled a U-turn in the win-loss bracket.
The LA Clippers rallied behind the leadership of James Harden, and it has yielded success
From the night James Harden torched the Detroit Pistons in their house, the LA Clippers have gone 12-3. This is ridiculously good, as Tyronn Lue and Kawhi Leonard have been absent multiple times.
Moreover, context must be noted within the losses. The Clippers came close but fell shy against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers(without Leonard). The third was to the Pelicans, which, to describe, should simply be forgotten.
The whole team is performing incredibly, and what has changed from earlier in the year is the offense. The ball is constantly being passed around like a 'hot potato,' as everyone gets their hands on the rock before an attempt is fired.
In their last 15, the Clippers have an offensive rating of 121.4(fifth in the league), a defensive rating of 108.7(fourth best in the league), and a net rating of 12.8(third best in the league). They have also shot the ball at a true shooting clip of 62.6, which ranks second to none.
That said, kudos to the entire squad for elevating at a pivotal point in the year. There was no more room for unnecessary losses, and because of Harden, the Clippers unraveled their missing ingredient and arose as a nightmare opponent.