James Harden did nothing to help his postseason reputation in the series against the Clippers, but it looks like the team is still supporting him.
President of basketball operations Lawrence Frank told the media at a season-ending news conference Monday that Harden did “great job leading the way” while Kawhi Leonard sat out the first 34 games of the season.
Frank went on to explain how Harden played in 79 games this season and played the fifth-most total minutes in the NBA.
“When it was James this year with no Kawhi, with Norm [Powell] and [Ivica] Zubac and the rest of the group, we really asked James to do a lot,” Frank said.
“And at his age to deliver what he did—[He played in] 79 games, and he does that time and time and time again. We have a deep appreciation for that sort of availability and to be able to deliver and do what he did—We have a great level of appreciation for what James did this year.”
Though what Frank failed to mention was Harden’s shortcomings in the postseason.
The Beard averaged only 18.7 points per game in the series where LAC were eliminated at the hands of the Nuggets.
The 35-year-old managed just 33 COMBINED POINTS in Games 4, 5, and 7.
He only scored 7 points in a crucial Game 7 – and no, that’s not a typo. He went 2-8, but did manage 13 assists.
He’s now lost a Game 7 with four different NBA teams.
Despite all this, Frank said Harden is the team’s “first priority.”
“Now, because James has a player option, it would be irresponsible for me not to have contingency plans with it,” Frank said. “But I’m going in with the intent that if he doesn’t pick up his option, that we’re going to be able to reach an agreement that works well for James and works well for the Clippers.”
Kendrick Perkins didn’t hold back when giving his thoughts on Monday’s edition of First Take.
“He’s allergic to Game 7s,” Perkins said. “He breaks out in rashes. It’s crazy to me how a guy goes from what he’s done in Game 6 of this series, to all of a sudden just dropping down as if he don’t give a damn. I don’t want to say he don’t care about the game, but it’s like he’s afraid of the moment. When you think about all-time greats, we think about what they do in the postseason, the championships, how they shine on the big stage.
“When you look at his history of Game 7’s, he just folds like clean sheets.”
