The LA Clippers turning the ball over 29 times against the Oklahoma City Thunder is not a sign of an off-night for the team, or a coincidence of Mark Daigneault’s group of young men experiencing a lucky break. It is the consequence boiled down to James Harden’s play-style.
Harden did not even play due to a left calf contusion. Yet, because everyone was in the bad habit of watching the former MVP isolate his defender on an island and only give up the ball in the event of a trap, the rest of the team was clueless about how to coexist.
In fact, over the last 26 seasons, 29 turnovers by one team in one game had not occurred; this is a historical low that Harden deserves the heat for.
Clippers had 29 turnovers tonight. Most by a team this season. Most as a franchise since Nov. 25, 2000. https://t.co/AvuI9dPRxB
— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) December 19, 2025
Thus, Harden has saved the Clippers on many occasions in his own right, but his exit in a trade might be good for the team, as the long-awaited movement of the ball would finally materialize.
The Clippers do not know how to correctly pass the rock, and it is all James Harden’s fault
The LA Clippers clearly think of James Harden as the face of the franchise. If isolation is what he loves, the rest of the team is forced to align their interests in that direction; there is no grey area in the perfect balance. It is essentially one way or the highway.
Tyronn Lue cannot just initiate a meeting with Harden and explain why his play-style is problematic. The head coach is dealing with Hall-of-Fame-level talent and is forced to curate his system to what the 11-time all-star brings, rather than risk a clash behind the scenes.
Player-coach meetings have a bad reputation in LA, as an attempt from Chris Paul’s side booted him off the team. This season, specifically, it is a bad idea to solve any issues one-on-one in a closed environment.
Moreover, the Clippers are strangers to quick chest passes in the half-court. It is pure, satisfying basketball, which demonstrates ‘the perfect possession,’ that LA rather defines as Harden breaking someone’s ankles, leading to likes and reposts on different social media platforms.
That said, there is only one way to stabilize the situation: for the team to master the fundamentals of quality passing once Harden is gone for good. This is what practice drills like the five-man weave are for, which LA has ignored.