“James Harden is operating at a level of intensity so far below the moment… its jarring” wrote Hoops Tonight host Jason Timpf after Game 4 of the LA Clippers-Denver Nuggets ongoing playoff series. ‘The Beard’ did not create any new fans for himself throughout Game 4, as his low-scoring performance earned him criticism from all sides. To add salt to the wound, the Clippers could have taken the lead and come closer to earning a spot in the Conference Semi-Finals. However, the Nuggets won, and Nikola Jokic and co are now closer to the 4 wins. Harden can prove his critics wrong and take the Clippers to Game 7, only by playing well in Game 5. That is, if he is healthy enough to play.

Fortunately, there is nothing but good news on that front. According to the LA Clippers Injury Report, as highlighted by ESPN, James Harden’s name is nowhere to be found. This means that, unless an emergency occurs, the player can be fully expected to participate in the game at the Intuit Dome. It also means that the past few days have not seen a resurgence of the player’s foot issues.

Throughout the ongoing tournament, James Harden has sustained injuries in his groin and foot areas. He sustained an illness around mid-January, but he recovered from the same quickly. In late March, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue reported that Harden had sprained his ankle in a 103-101 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Only 2 days later, he was listed as ‘Questionable’ for a matchup against the Knicks due to a right foot soreness. Fortunately, all those troubles are now behind the player.

While injury troubles are behind the player, he has now been accosted with the need to prove himself. James Harden kicked off the playoffs with a memorable performance, as he scored 32 points, 6 rebounds, and 11 assists in Game 1. Since then, however, his shooting has undergone a downward slump. The performance in Game 5 was the worst, as Harden only scored 11 points, along with 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals, over 35 minutes. The veteran shot 3-9 (33.3%) field goals, 0-2 (0.0%) 3-pointers, and 5-8 (62.5%) free throws. For the Clippers’ highest average scorer of the 2024-25 regular season, this stat does not speak well. Fortunately, good storylines are built on redemption. All one needs is a chance to prove oneself. Let’s hope James Harden grabs this chance.

The only player on the Clippers’ Injury Report is Seth Lundy. The player continues recovering from a sprained, surgically repaired left ankle. He sustained the injury while playing for the Atlanta Hawks in an Oct. 14 preseason game. He hasn’t played a game yet for the Clippers. The upcoming game won’t be his 1st, since he continues to remain ‘OUT’. Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets also only have one other player listed as ‘OUT’: DaRon Holmes II. The 22nd overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Holmes missed the entirety of the recent regular season as he continues recovering from the torn right Achilles tendon sustained in the Las Vegas Summer League back in July 2024. As of late February, he was able to participate in practice sessions. However, that still does not make him ready to participate in the playoffs.

In light of these updates, no team will have to make adjustments to the starting lineup.

What will the starting lineup and depth chart for the Nuggets-Clippers game look like?

According to CBS Sports, the Clippers would have likely turned to Kris Dunn and Ben Simmons to help shoulder the load in the backcourt. That is, if James Harden’s absence was a possibility. If Harden underperforms again, then Ty Lue might just get frustrated enough to turn to those two players. Therefore, one hopes that Harden puts on a good show in the coming game. Plus, the absence of Seth Lundy will not affect the LA Clippers much. Why should it, when the player did not play even a single game during the 2024-25 regular season?

Therefore, the starting lineup for the LA Clippers is expected to look like this:

Similarly, given the update for the Denver Nuggets, their starting lineup is expected to look like this:

The Denver Nuggets or the LA Clippers? Who will you be rooting for? Let us know in the comments section.