On April 27, Harden faced another difficult situation, and Leonard's sluggish performance put heavy pressure on the Clippers.
In the face of the Mavericks, the Clippers suffered a heavy defeat, the home-court advantage completely disappeared, and one defeat after another put them in a lot of trouble. And the Mavericks' Doncic and Irving stars made the Clippers even worse.
The performance of the Big Four was disappointing, with the three of Jr., George and Wei Shao scoring a total of only 17 points, making Harden feel powerless. He thought he would find a strong line-up of teammates, but he found himself still alone, and the challenge was frustrating.
After the game, Leonard gave his opinion. Although he said he would play in the fourth game, in fact, his performance on the field has dropped significantly. He made just 4 of 7 shots, had 9 points and 9 rebounds, but had 4 turnovers, and behind these statistics was his helplessness in the game.
As one of the NBA's top defensive players, Leonard has now become a breakthrough for opponents. His performances on the pitch are getting sluggish, which makes one wonder if he should take a break.
Harden's performance in the playoffs is the best on the team, leading the way in terms of playing time, points, assists, blocks and other statistics per game. Therefore, it may be a good option to have him at the heart of the team, while Leonard can take a break and let his teammates take on more responsibility.
Overall, Harden once again picked the wrong teammate. Maybe it would have been different if he hadn't joined the Clippers and had gone to another team. Win or lose, at least James and Bushy Eyebrow's attendance is guaranteed, and Harden can comfortably play as the team's third, which is much better than being the Clippers' single core now.
So, in view of the current predicament of the Clippers, we can't help but wonder: what else do they have to deal with? First, the team needs to revisit the roster configuration and tactical layout. It may be necessary to reposition players and redistribute offensive and defensive tasks in order to find a more effective style of play. Secondly, mindset adjustment is also crucial. In the face of consecutive defeats, the team needs to remain calm, not be crushed by setbacks, believe in their own strength, believe in the strength of the team, and come out of the situation with determination. In addition, the injury issue is also a priority for the Clippers at the moment. The team needs to strengthen injury protection and rehabilitation to minimize the impact of injury on the team and keep the players in the best condition. Finally, the team needs more unity and cooperation. Only when the whole team works together to face difficulties can we truly overcome difficulties and achieve victory. Therefore, let's hope that the Clippers can find a breakthrough in the next games, regain their strength, regain the initiative in the game, and show the real strength of the Clippers!