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Second Straight Loss for Clippers in James Harden-Era Brings Forth Harrowing Trouble for Ty Lue

Published 11/08/2023, 11:07 PM EST

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The James Harden era in Los Angeles is off to a bad start. The Clippers lost their second game in a row with James Harden in their line-up. Kawhi Leonard and Co. were toppled by a mediocre Brooklyn Nets team in a 100-93 victory. A major reason for the Clippers’ loss was the underwhelming performance of former MVPs James Harden and Russell Westbrook. Despite being teammates on several teams in the past, it looks like they are still trying to figure out how to play together.

The Los Angeles Clippers’ second loss in the James Harden era raised some concerns and brought forth harrowing trouble for head coach Tyronn Lue.

The Clippers are facing a big problem

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James Harden scored only 12 points in his second game for the Clippers. His teammate Russell Westbrook was also struggling to put points on the board and finished the game with 13 points. Apart from their off-scoring night, the MVP duo and the rest of the Clippers roster have been very careless with the ball. The Clippers had 16 turnovers in the game and allowed 14 offensive rebounds to the Brooklyn Nets. They also missed 38 of 50 shots outside the paint. Head coach Tyronn Lue has a tall task ahead of him as the Clippers roster struggles to find the right chemistry on the court.

 

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Their star players, James Harden and Russell Westbrook, alone have 12 combined turnovers in the last two games. That has led the Clippers to slip way down in the Western Conference standings. James Harden and Russell Westbrook are two of the most elite point guards in the NBA, but they have had a history of giving up easy points because of turnovers. Russ has the 3rd most turnovers in NBA history with 4,467, and Harden is not far behind on that list. The Beard is 8th on that list with 3,741 career turnovers. This stat shows that the two veteran guards have been prone to losing the ball throughout their careers. That could create big problems for the Clippers going forward, and head coach Tyronn Lue needs to address this issue right away.

Is it too early to judge the Los Angeles Clippers?

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Even though the holes in the Clippers squad after the acquisition of James Harden are clearly visible to the entire world, it might be too early to judge their performance. James Harden is only two games into his Clippers tenure, and it will take some time for him to adjust to a new environment. Apart from Harden, the Clippers also have to adjust to playing with another ball-dominant player on their roster. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Russell Westbrook have all been ball-dominant superstars throughout their careers. And it is a big change for them to share the load among so many players.

James Harden Faces the Wrath of Angry Fans Upon Brooklyn Return in Clippers Threads

There is still time for the Clippers to turn their season around and get back in the winning column. Right now, all of the Clippers’ stars are struggling to find their rhythm, and that has led to several disappointing performances. Once Tyronn Lue figures out what line-up to put on the court and how to distribute the offense among the players, the Clippers have a legitimate chance at winning a Championship. They are one of the best teams in the league on paper, but they need to execute their game plan on the hardwood. Kawhi Leonard and Co. need to avoid committing silly mistakes on the court, like giving up offensive rebounds and turnovers. That will help them win more games and contain their opponents to low scores.

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The Los Angeles Clippers will hope to bounce back in the next game against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, but with Luka Doncic in the form of his life, will they manage a win?

Watch This Story: 5 Months After Running Doc Rivers Out of Philadelphia, James Harden Receives Honest Advice From the Legendary Coach

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Written by:

Rohan Bhaunt

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Rohan is an NBA Content Writer at EssentiallySports. He is a state-level basketball player and has been a fan of the NBA for over a decade. This allows him to deep dive into the sport and provide a fresh outlook.
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Edited by:

Sameen Nawathe