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Par Pierre-Andréa Fraile | Journaliste sportif
After the Clippers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, James Harden was in fact not missing the first Game 7 of his career. This was not lost on Shaquille O’Neal, who tried to explain Harden’s unfortunate tendency.
According to the latest information, he is set to decline his player option, which would see him earn just over $36 million next year. However, don’t think that James Harden wants to leave the Clippers. As he approaches 36, he would simply like to align his contract with that of Kawhi Leonard, and receive a slight pay rise in the process.
And while his managers are said to be open to such a renegotiation, it is likely to cause some gnashing of teeth in Los Angeles. It has to be said that The Beard disappointed more than a few observers in the playoffs, particularly during Game 7, his franchise’s first-round loss to the Nuggets. With just 8 short shots and 7 points, he once again gave his detractors plenty to chew on.
Shaquille O’Neal on James Harden’s chronic struggles
For once, Harden’s performance was below par when his team needed him most. His career averages are a dismal 19.3 points, 35.5% shooting and 22.4% from 3-point range in the seven Game 7s he has played. Shaquille O’Neal thinks he knows the reason for these repeated failures, and recently revealed it on his Big Podcast:
Shaquille O’Neal: When you care about what people say about you, it shows in your eyes. I played a few Game 7s in my career and some of my teammates didn’t show up. And I knew they weren’t going to show up because that’s what everyone was talking about. But if you don’t care, you’re going to take 30 shots and not 8. Isn’t that right, James Harden?
According to Shaq, the 2018 MVP would therefore attach too much importance to discussions about him and let himself be affected by the expectations placed on him on such occasions :
Shaquille O’Neal: When I see him play, i can tell he is concerned about what people were saying about him. Sure, he’s still a future Hall of Famer and he’s made a lot of money in his career, but he’s concerned about what people think of him. And it all starts here. Because of that, he’s only damaging his reputation a little more each time.
The Diesel, meanwhile, can’t say the same, as he turned in 26.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.5 counters in the four Game 7s in which he took part in the NBA.
