Former teammate throws support behind struggling James Harden
James Harden has yet to hit his usual heights. The veteran guard has played inconsistently since the Philadelphia 76ers traded him to the LA Clippers, though his overall production has improved since Russell Westbrook volunteered himself to move into a bench role. Nevertheless, Clippers fans will be expecting more from the 2018 MVP in the coming months.
According to former NBA forward Chandler Parsons, who spoke on a recent episode of the "Up & Adams show," Harden is too good to struggle for much longer.
"He has this bad rep that he doesn't care and doesn't work hard," Parsons said. "That's not true. It couldn't be further from the truth actually. Things haven't worked out for him...He's a Hall of Fame basketball player. He's going to figure it out."
Harden is only 12 games into his tenure with the Clippers. He's currently averaging 15.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game while shooting 45.8% from the field and 39.7% from deep. Because the star guard missed most of the preseason with the Philadelphia 76ers, he's likely playing his way back into game shape. As such, Harden's overall impact figures to continue to improve in the coming weeks and months.
The Clippers roster is built to be a contender. Harden is likely viewed as the last piece of that puzzle. Trent Redden and the front office have been looking for a lead ball handler for multiple seasons and Harden fits the mold perfectly. It may take some patience on the Clippers' behalf, but the current roster has all the tools to be a force in the Western Conference.
They just need to find a rhythm and build some chemistry. Westbrook's acceptance of a bench role has gone a long way toward providing the balance head coach Ty Lue needed from his rotations.
Parsons has played with Harden before. They spent time together on the Houston Rockets. So, there's a good chance he's speaking from experience when backing the veteran guard to figure things out. Right now, there's no reason to believe Harden has fallen off. With that in mind, the Clippers could be a scary team by the time the new year rolls around.
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