ERClips wrote:
I have a few friends, Clipper fans, that still aren’t trusting how Harden will perform in the playoffs. Valid concern but in our case it’s completely different from what was expected of him on other teams. Scoring 30 is awesome but all we really need is 10+ assists, around 15-20 points, some boards, low turnovers & excellent game management. It’s setup perfect for him on this team.
Actually we can still win games even if him & PG are subpar because of Kawhi & the depth from our bench.
We won’t win every game but this is a great time to be Clippers fans!
I have always hated James Harden's game. Not a fan of the trade at the time because of the impact to our defense. I have to say that i am pleasantly surprised by the defensive effort he has been putting in. Some of the block and steals he has been getting show how he is embracing a part of his game that he could have integrated years ago. However, when you play for Don'toni for so many years, defense is not a priority.
He is getting up on people and crowding them and making things more difficult. Is he going to be a great individual defender? Probably not. However, him giving some effort on D and not being a matador makes things a lot easier for guys like Kawhi to take chances.
I think Kawhi has little tolerance for guys that don't bring it defensively which is why he had issues with Lou Williams and Harrell and why Bones Hyland is firmly planted on the bench. Amir Coffey's defensive effort is what allows him to be on the court more.