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Par Joël Pütz | Journaliste sportif
The Clippers finally conceded defeat in the first round of the playoffs, after a very complicated Game 7 against the Nuggets. James Harden was the subject of an unflattering metaphor from an American analyst.
A surprise seemed possible it for a long time, with the series going all the way to Game 7. To say that the match-up between the Clippers and Nuggets was closely contested would be an understatement, with neither franchise able to gain a decisive advantage over the other. But in the end, it was Nikola Jokic and his teammates who came out on top after a large victory in the final game (120-101).
And while the Denver players are to be congratulated on their performance, it has to be said that their opponents made their task much easier. The Clippers, like their superstars, didn’t really seem to be in the game. Kawhi Leonard didn’t have any impact on the game, scoring 22 points on 6/13 from the field. James Harden had it even worse…
James Harden fails again and gets humiliated after Game 7 loss
Often acclaimed this season for his leadership within the Clippers’ team in the absence of The Claw, the guard completely failed to deliver in Game 7. Although he was responsible for 13 assists, his scoring was subpar with just 7 points on 2/8 from the field. Once again, he failed to step up when his team needed him to… On ESPN, analyst Marcus Spears curtly criticized his failures in big moments:
James Harden is like the dude that got a girl, and he sets up nice scenes and he never proposes. They never gonna get married. He’s gonna date you, y’all gonna stay together. People are gonna say y’all a great-looking couple, but he’s never gonna marry you. That’s what I compare these Game 7s to.
The disappointing part about it is, you match up some of the performances that we’ve seen him have in his career, and they’re some of the best we’ve seen in NBA history. And you just want to see one of those in a closeout situation or when your team needs you to come through in a major way.
Terrible as this analysis is, it’s hard to argue with it. The Clippers are the fourth team with whom The Beard has lost a Game 7, an abnormally high total. And the former MVP was rarely up to the task on such occasions. And perhaps that’s what will forever prevent him from becoming NBA champion, even if he says he’s not after a title.
