Without Leonard, the Clippers scored an important first game win against the Mavericks under James Harden.
The past few years have been challenging for James Harden, who has never reached MVP-level level since leaving the Houston Rockets in 2021, and Harden has been second to the NBA All-Star list.
Although the 34-year-old Harden didn't perform well in the regular season with the Los Angeles Clippers, that didn't make him give up. Without Leonard in the Clippers' first 2024 NBA playoff game against the Mavericks, Harden showed the NBA world what he's capable of.
Heading into the playoffs, Harden has recorded just two games over 20 points in his last 16 games. The March 1 game against the Washington Wizards was the last game in which Harden hit at least six three-pointers, but in the Clippers' first game against the Mavericks, Harden completely changed that.
Although the rest of the players except Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving struggled on the offensive end, the Clippers dominated the game from start to finish.
With Leonard unable to play due to a knee injury, Paul George, Ivica Zubac, Terence Mann and Russell Westbrook have all contributed in different ways.
But it was Harden who really won the game, and it could be seen as a battle for the ten-time All-Star to rekindle an old love.
Having a successful first game against the Mavericks, when the Clippers traded Harden early in the 2023-24 season, they had one goal in mind: to compete for a championship.
The Los Angeles Clippers have never made it to the NBA Finals, and they only reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 2021.
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer has invested billions of dollars in the team's marketing, salaries, and the brand-new Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, and trading Harden is a move that gives the Clippers a third star in addition to George and Kawhi Leonard.
While he did have some difficulty trying to find his role next to other All-Stars during the regular season, Harden is no stranger to the big game in the playoffs.
This is Harden's 15th consecutive playoff season, the longest consecutive playoff participation record in the league. He may not have won a championship, but the three-time scoring champion has never backed down on the offensive end.
That led to him scoring 28 points on 6-of-11 three-pointers and eight assists in Game 1 of the team's 109-97 win over the Mavericks. For Harden, the victory and performance symbolized his ability to lead the Clippers, whether or not Leonard was there.
"I can score with the best players in them. I can still score with the best of them," Harden told reporters firmly after the victory.
'My role in this team is just to create really good shots or to make the other players' jobs easier, and when it's my turn, I can score.
Obviously, Leonard is out, so my playmaking and value will go up a little bit more. I took advantage of that. ”
Whether as the team's primary passer or taking advantage of his scoring opportunities, Harden still sometimes shows quality like one of the best scorers in the league, despite being 34 years old.
Even though his role in the Clippers drast was in Harden's mind, he still had faith in himself.
It's hard to say that this is the most important playoff game of Harden's career, but it may be the most important game in the long run.
It's unclear how long Leonard will be sidelined, and there's been little news about his knee injury at the moment, and his availability against the Mavericks in this pivotal first-round series remains uncertain.
Truth be told, Harden can lead the Clippers to a championship this season, and Leonard should simply return next season.
With the pressure on the team falling on George's shoulders, many have forgotten about Harden's potential.
Although his 28 points in Game 1 was the most since early March, Harden sent a clear message to Dallas and the league as a whole that he would be looking for his own shots and opportunities when he had the chance.
That's exactly what the Clippers envisioned when they traded for the Philadelphia 76ers at the start of the season, which is why Harden's vigorous performance in Game 1 changed the course of the series.
Leonard is the best player for the Clippers, without a doubt.
Then there's George, who is more than capable of being the team's leader on the field.
Harden is the team's third star, and he should help fill in the void and sacrifice his own personal output for the overall good of the team. Although this may not always be the role he wants to take, Harden has accepted the challenge for the Clippers.
It was in the first game against the Mavericks that Harden's sacrifice was recognized, and he was able to remind everyone of what he could become.
In addition to being in the final year of his contract and hoping to get another lucrative contract, Harden is at the stage of his career and he wants to lead the team to a championship, especially since this could be his last chance to do so.
While he may want to be the team's leading scorer, Harden embraced the idea of taking advantage of opportunities at the right time, something he discussed before the start of the series against the Mavericks.
"Of course, I want to be good individually and then our team can do well. So I think as one of the leaders of the team, it's my job to make sure that our players reach their full potential in every game and make the most of what they bring to the team," Harden said.
"You know, so that's the conversation between me and Leonard, Paul George. We know what to expect from them, you know what I mean?
But as for the other players, make sure we're all in the same boat, you know Terence Mann, Norman Powell, Amir Coffey because these guys are going to help us win games and get where we want to go. I think it's my responsibility as one of the leaders of the team. ”
For Harden and the Clippers, winning Game 1 against the Mavericks means a lot. In addition to defending their home court when they started the series, the Clippers also left Dallas with doubts about when Leonard would return.
The team knows what to expect from Leonard and George in the nightly game, but Harden is an unknown for this team. If he finds his rhythm on the offensive end and can hit high-accuracy three-pointers for several games in a row, the Clippers won't be able to stop because they've been so good on the defensive end.
Harden plays a unique role with the Clippers, and he is a key figure in the team's quest for a championship.
Most teams that make the playoffs go deep have at least two All-Star players. In the case of the Clippers, they have three stars and Harden has the ability to dominate the game on the offensive end.
The 28-point performance and six three-pointers were a friendly reminder of the old Harden, the same Harden he had with the Rockets, and this first win against the Mavericks could be a turning point in Harden's path to rediscovery.