James Harden provides every other bankruptcy to unsightly Game 7 historical past in Clippers’ blowout loss

Another Game 7, every other James Harden disasterclass.

On Saturday, the Los Angeles Clippers fell to the Denver Nuggets, 120-101, for an underwhelming end to an epic first-round sequence.

It used to be in particular tough for Harden, who repeated his historical past of terrible Game 7s.

Harden scored seven issues, his fewest ever in a Game 7, on 2-of-8 capturing (1-of-4 on threes). His 13 assists stored him from a in point of fact horrid field ranking, however that baker’s dozen can not masks the stench of his putrid efficiency.

It harkened again to 2023’s 14-point East semifinals loss to the Celtics, when Harden used to be with the Sixers, or a 2021 East semis loss to the Bucks as a Brooklyn Net.

In seven profession Game 7s, Harden is 3-4, along with his ultimate win coming within the 2020s Disney bubble with the Rockets. In the ones seven video games, Harden has averaged 19.3 issues on 35.5 p.c capturing, together with 22.4 p.c from past the arc, with 7.9 assists and 4 turnovers in keeping with sport.

Harden used to be a facilitator for the Clippers, taking his fewest shot makes an attempt in his sordid Game 7 historical past. Considering his tough capturing numbers on his restricted makes an attempt, that can had been for the most efficient. But for a participant who does not be offering a lot at the defensive finish, Harden’s disappearing act on offense in his workforce’s maximum necessary video games has made him a net-negative in the ones moments.

Harden, who turns 36 in August, has a June 29 cut-off date to say no his $36.3 million participant choice. With his diminishing on-court returns, the Clippers may well be at an advantage if he did.