Translator's Note: This article was originally published by Fansided, and the author is Utkal Pandey. The data in the article are as of the time of publication of the original article (November 19, local time). The opinions in the article have nothing to do with the translator and the platform.
On Monday night, in the first quarter of the game against the Philadelphia 76ers, James Harden became the 11th player in NBA history to surpass 28,000 career points with a layup. This was supposed to be a celebration, a moment to pay tribute to one of the greatest offensive players in league history still playing in his 17th season. However, this is just another frustrating chapter in the Los Angeles Clippers' disastrous 2025-26 season. Despite Harden's 28 points, the Clippers squandered a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter and fell to 4-10 on the season.
For the second consecutive game, Harden had the opportunity to hit a three-pointer to tie or kill the game at the final whistle, but he failed to make the shot both times. The Clippers have walked away as losers eight times in their last nine games.
At this moment we can’t help but ask, how far can Harden lead this team alone? After all, time is not forgiving, and he is now 36 years old. When the dust settles, how will we remember Harden as a player?
James Harden may become the greatest player in history without a championship.
When his career ends, James Harden may become the greatest player who has never won a championship. This may be the reality we have to face. This player who averaged 24.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game in his 17-year career has won the MVP, been selected to the All-Star 11 times, and became the scoring champion three times. He is now the 11th player in NBA history to reach 28,000 points. He is expected to become the first player in history to rank in the top 10 in both scoring and assists. Currently, only he and LeBron James can do this.
But what keeps Harden and his supporters awake at night is this: He was so close to the championship. The Rockets in the 2015-2019 season were extremely powerful, able to win 55 to 65 games in the regular season, and advanced many times in the playoffs. During that period, Harden was unstoppable. He revolutionized the step-back three-point technique, averaged more than 30 points per game for three consecutive seasons, and led many teams with mediocre lineups to the Western Conference Finals.
What's the problem? The answer is the Golden State Warriors. Harden met the greatest dynasty team in the modern NBA. The Warriors with Kevin Durant are nearly unbeatable, and Harden's Rockets are the closest team to beating them.
In the 2018 Western Conference Finals, with the Rockets leading 3-2, Chris Paul strained his hamstring and was eventually dragged into a tiebreaker by the Warriors and lost. It's a series that still haunts NBA fans - had Paul stayed healthy, there's every reason to think the Rockets would have won that series and defeated the Cavaliers in the Finals.
It was really bad luck for Harden to meet the Warriors dynasty at his peak. Had Durant not joined the Golden State Warriors, Harden would likely have at least one championship ring, maybe even two. His place in history will also be completely different. But the reality is not like this. Today Harden is labeled as "unable to win at critical moments."
So, where does Harden rank among the great players who have never won a championship? The list is not long, but all of them are legends: Chris Paul (12-time All-Star, top defensive influence, the greatest court general of his generation), Charles Barkley (1993 MVP, led the Suns to the Finals, but met Jordan's Bulls), Karl Malone (two-time MVP, second on the all-time scoring list), Steve Nash (two-time MVP, revolutionized the way point guards play). Harden has every right to be in that category and will likely be at the top.
Harden's playoff reputation: true but unfair
The biggest criticism of Harden has always been his "invisible" performance in key playoff games. The numbers back that up: His points per game dropped in the playoffs, his three-point shooting percentage plummeted, and he did have some really bad down-and-out performances.
Watching him perform in these moments, you can clearly feel the difference. His self-confidence no longer exists, and he sometimes appears negative, confused, or even exhausted. During the regular season, Harden was always asked to take on too many responsibilities, and by the time the playoffs arrived, his energy had been exhausted.
This season is a microcosm of Harden's entire career. The 36-year-old averaged 26.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game, shooting 46% from the field, 40% from the three-point range, and 91% from the free throw line. His true shooting percentage was as high as 64.5%, which is amazingly efficient. He played 37 minutes every night, shouldered the offensive burden of the team, and tried his best to keep the Clippers barely competitive. This is his best season since suffering a hamstring injury with the Nets three years ago.
But in the fourth quarter, when opponents start to double-team, Harden will be exhausted. In the game against the 76ers, he made only 2 of 12 three-pointers; the night before against the Celtics, he missed the tying three-pointer before the end. This is not to say that he has stage fright, but that he was asked to fight like Superman for 37 minutes. By the time the game was hanging by a thread, he had returned to his mortal self in the face of an excellent defensive arrangement.
Harden has used actions to prove that he will never give up.
No matter how you evaluate Harden's playoff performance, defensive ability or over-reliance on singles, you cannot question his durability and professionalism. He can be called the iron man of the NBA.
Every offseason, there are reports that Harden is "out of shape" or "doesn't pay attention to physical training." But every season, Harden returns to the team on time and plays more than 35 minutes a night in more than 70 games. This all stems from his mentality. Those who think that his physical fitness is not at the top level are pure nonsense.. If he hadn't maintained top physical condition, he wouldn't have been an MVP candidate for most of his career, nor would he have been able to maintain such a high attendance rate later in his career.
He is the oldest player in NBA history to achieve a 40-point triple-double. In the 17th season of his career, he went all out every night, played a lot of minutes, and still performed at an All-Star level. Regardless of how one feels about his style of play, it deserves respect.
Harden's magical performance cannot save the Los Angeles Clippers
Considering the current situation, Harden's performance this season is amazing. Since Leonard's injury, Harden has been the Clippers' only reliable scoring option. He plays 37 minutes every night and bears a heavy time load on both offense and defense.
The key issue is: the Clippers did not lose by a big score. They were competitive in most games thanks to Harden. But when it comes to the most critical decisive moment in the fourth quarter, the team will always collapse suddenly. The losses continued to accumulate, and each game was a narrow defeat.
The biggest problem facing the Clippers is simple: Harden is the only player in the lineup who can create shooting opportunities on his own. With Leonard injured, the team no longer has a second offensive starting point.
Zubac is good at finishing at the basket, but he is not the starting point of the offense; John Collins can hit open jump shots, but cannot organize the offense as the core of the offense; Kris Dunn is solid in defense, but has poor open shooting ability.
This makes Harden the team's only offensive engine, and opponents will also formulate corresponding game plans accordingly. In Monday night's game against the 76ers, his opponents tried all they could against him: double-teaming and switching defenses, but Harden still scored 28 points. But when the game comes to a head, the Sixers know exactly where the ball will go.
It is unsustainable for the 36-year-old Harden to shoulder the heavy responsibility alone. Even in his prime, such a request was a bit too much; in the 17th season of his career, it is an almost impossible task.
The championship will be the ultimate criterion for Harden's historical status.
When Harden's career finally turns to the last page, it will not be a concise, smooth success story. His career has always been at the forefront: the contract extension controversy during the Thunder period, the lineup chaos during the Rockets period, the farce during the Nets period, the poor integration during the 76ers period, and now he has spent a faltering season with the Los Angeles Clippers. This team seems to have slipped into the abyss. However, at the age of 36, he once again became the center of the storm. This time, the chaos isn't his fault - it's the result of injuries, age, poor roster construction, and the heavy burden of supporting a cursed franchise in a new, expensive arena.
The incomplete lineup, the 1-7 record without Leonard, and the rotation that was barely put together with tape made Harden unexpectedly become a life raft for this team drowned in injuries and expectations. He averaged 26 points, 6 rebounds and 9 assists per game with top efficiency, every night. But what's the price behind it?
People will always ask: Can he win that coveted championship ring? Or will he retire as one of the greatest players to never win a championship?
When his playing career is over, Harden will be remembered as one of the most controversial superstars in NBA history. His numbers will be stunning and his highlights will be legendary, but there will always be an asterisk: He never won a championship. Whether fair or not, this will be history's judgment on him.
But now, all we can do is cherish everything in front of us. The 36-year-old James Harden leads this incomplete Clippers team and occasionally shows his former MVP-level style. It may not be enough to save the season, but it's a powerful reminder of how good Harden was and still is.
source:7m com vn