James Harden willed the Los Angeles Clippers to victory to tie their series against the Denver Nuggets. While the Clippers will be in the Mile High City for the climactic Game 7, they will need all hands on deck to take down the Nuggets once and for all.
The Clippers have needed Harden from the very beginning of the season, and they will need him to play if they hope to advance past Denver. But will he be available? Let’s take a look.
The Latest on James Harden’s Injury Status
The last NBA injury report involving the Clippers did not mention any of their players, meaning everyone is healthy and that Harden will be available for Game 7.
No one is listed as questionable or even probable, which shows that there shouldn’t be any limitations whatsoever going into their most pivotal game of the season. Harden doesn’t exactly have the best reputation in the playoffs, particularly in Game 7s, but in a lesser role, he might not be asked to do as much as he has in years past.
Harden’s play was a little enigmatic when the Clippers played in Denver during this series. In Game 1, he scored 32 points on an efficient 11-for-22 shooting night, but the Clippers barely lost in overtime, 112-110. If his scoring wasn’t impressive, his playmaking was also excellent, putting up an 11:2 assist-to-turnover ratio.
The other two games weren’t as good from him. In Game 2, Harden had 18 points on seven-for-17 while putting up an assist-to-turnover ratio of 7:4. Luckily, the Clippers won the game anyway. In Game 5, Harden had 11 points on three-for-nine shooting with an almost even assist-to-turnover ratio of 5:4. The Clippers lost that one pretty decidedly.
Given Harden’s dominant Game 6 performance—28 points on 10-for-20 shooting with a 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio—it demonstrates that Harden must step up in Game 7. Even if all eyes will be on whether Kawhi Leonard truly will save his best for last, that shouldn’t discount Harden’s role in this Game 7.
This is also an excellent opportunity for the former MVP to fight back against the narrative that he doesn’t step up when his team needs him to at the most crucial point of the season. While Harden has taken teams further than the first round, having an iconic Game 7 could help improve his legacy a bit.
The Clippers acquired Harden, believing he was the last piece of their title puzzle. There may have been some bumps and bruises, but here is his chance to set things right.
