Aside from who head coach Tyronn Lue would pick the starters to be, the main ingredient fans of the LA Clippers were immediately watching for throughout the preseason opener versus the Guangzhou Loong-Lions is James Harden’s minutes and workload.
However, Lue stood by the words he mentioned multiple times after the postseason ended, against the Denver Nuggets, and in media day/training camp, by utilizing the former MVP for 15 minutes in the first half.
This number could have been higher, as Lue could have traveled to Oceanside, California, with the mentality of doing whatever was needed to prepare Harden physically for the official day one, but he made a promise and was going to keep it.
Regarding his workload, Harden could ultimately see the future. The coaching staff had the analytics and statistics from last season to see where he prospered with and without the ball, and this was subtly implemented against the Loong-Lions before the break.
James Harden’s involvement in the preseason offense was heavy, but in a different way
On any given night, fans have the unwritten expectation that James Harden will have the highest usage rate on the team, with a sharp concentration on getting an assist or bucket every time he dribbles into the half-court offense. And when fast breaks would occur, he would be one of the primary guards involved in either making the easy lay-up or throwing an alley-oop to one of the wings.
Furthermore, during the LA Clippers’ media day, Tyronn Lue and Harden were on the same page, agreeing that there would be a reduced workload for him this season. This meant that these two had conversations about it and decided that making the change was the best way for his health and career.
The first opportunity to see the new changes for Harden in action was today, against the Guangzhou Loong-Lions. Although it was brief, the unique style was something fans had been anticipating.
Moreover, Harden was still active with the ball, per usual, but his intentions, at times, seemed different. He appeared to be more focused in other areas, and getting himself open with notable efficiencies in the catch and shoot last season, to overpower the Loong-Lions’ defense.
Although the Loong-Lions are not in the NBA, this new strategy succeeded at first glance, proving Lue was sincere about his observations during the last few weeks and was not just trying to hype up the fans.