Fans React To Clippers Staying Winless In The James Harden Era With Loss To Nuggets

The Clippers dropped to 0-5 with James Harden after the Denver Nuggets pulled out a win in this early game-of-the-season contender.

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Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Clippers played their best game since acquiring James Harden tonight. Unfortunately, the game was against the defending champion Nuggets, who overpowered the Clippers late in the fourth quarter to walk away with a 108-111 win.

Fans thought this was one of the best games of the season and that the Clippers lost because there’s no stopping Nikola Jokic.

The action on the court was phenomenal, as this game had one of the most competitive fourth quarters we have seen this season.

Fans were stunned at the brilliance of Nikola Jokic.

Tyronn Lue’s decision to run a small lineup at the end of the fourth that allowed the Nuggets to go on a 13-3 run brought a lot of ire from fans.

Paul George had a great game and led the Clippers offensively, but his clutch-time winner ended up being a missed wedgie which led to a jumpball, as the Clippers didn’t even get a final shot off. 

Clipper fans were sympathetic towards Harden, who quietly had his best game on the Clippers with a 20-point outing.

https://twitter.com/LamarHefner/status/1724661043400487240

Kawhi Leonard received a lot of hate from fans for his poor shot-selection, with some calling Westbrook better than him.

Jokic was the star of the night by far, causing people to marvel at how he plays the game and dominates.

The wedgie is going to be the biggest talking point for many, but Paul George was the only consistent scorer the Clippers had tonight. He put up 35 points and excelled in his role as the primary scorer. Kawhi Leonard and Russell Westbrook struggled, with Leonard notching 15 points on 35.7% shooting and Westbrook putting up just eight points on 33.3% shooting. James Harden put up 21 points in his best outing so far as a Clipper.

The Nuggets came in without Jamal Murray but Reggie Jackson had a great game against his former employees, dropping 18. Aaron Gordon had a much-needed 20-point outing, but everything revolved around Nikola Jokic. He had 32 points, 16 rebounds, and nine assists in another all-around dominant performance by the reigning Finals MVP.


James Harden Getting His Swagger Back

The Clippers may be 0-5 with Harden, but this was the best performance we saw from the team since he joined. The Nuggets are arguably the best team in the NBA and they pushed them to a close win. If lineup decisions at the end of the game weren’t bad, we could be talking about this game as their first win in the Harden era.

The Beard’s confidence in the floor was a big boost, as he played more comfortably and had his first 20-point night on the Clippers. During the game, he was heard telling Bones Hyland he was getting his swagger back, which was evident during the game. 

“I’m making shots. That’s my swagger. You feel me? I got to get back to the basics first, then I got to get my swagger. I’ll be alright though. I gotta stick the landing, go back to fundamentals and basics.”

Harden’s swagger will not be the determining factor for the Clippers, as the team had deeper problems today. Kawhi Leonard’s offensive inconsistency burned them at many points, with Leonard putting up uncharacteristically bad shots since Harden joined. Westbrook was arguably worse, playing turnover-prone basketball and struggling to make any offensive impact on the game. 

Harden and PG13 will be attacked as well, but it’s safe to say that they were their two best players today. What that says for this team’s title odds, we have to wait and see.

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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