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James Harden addresses the Clippers' problems after getting stomped by the Lakers
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- James Harden addresses the Clippers' problems after getting stomped by the Lakers
James Harden has been carrying the weight of the Los Angeles Clippers this season and their loss to the Lakers made it even heavier.
In the losing effort, Harden paced the Clippers with 29 points, nine assists and five rebounds in 36 minutes of playing time. This extended Harden's recent brilliance, which included a 55-point bomb against the Charlotte Hornets , but that has barely yielded success for the team.
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Currently, the Clippers hold the third-worst record in the Western Conference at 5-13. They are now considered a losing team – a rut unfamiliar to the Beard, but one he is determined to help his team escape while they still can.
"I haven't been in a losing situation before, but I haven't been in a situation where it literally feels like everything is going against us," he said after the 135-118 loss to the Lakers. "So this is gonna be a test to show our character and what we can do later in the season."
Ty Lue points to "bad circumstances"
The trio of Luka Doncic , LeBron James and Austin Reaves combined for 99 points – and the Clippers and head coach Tyronn Lue had no answer.
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L.A. gave up 135 points. Not only that, with veteran center Brook Lopez out for the game, the Clippers were dominated in the paint. The Lakers outrebounded them 38-29 and scored 62 points in the paint against their 50. They contested 18 of the Purple and Gold's 3-point shots, but the latter still ended with their best split from beyond the arc this season so far at 44.8 percent.
On top of that, the Clippers have also been struggling offensively. While two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard and veteran big man Ivica Zubac have been averaging solid numbers, Lue's offense has been relying on Harden's scoring. His rotations have also been questionable.
After the loss, Lue said playing hard as hell is what the team needs to solve their defensive and offensive woes. But more importantly, he also stressed that it has been hard playing without their three-time All-Star shooting guard, Bradley Beal . Leonard, who missed 11 games, did not do them any better.
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"We've had bad circumstances. Guys have been out… The way we're structured, we need our better players to play. And that's how everybody else is successful. It's been a tough start," he explained. "When you don't have the offensive power to keep up with other teams, it just gets tough… We're gonna get better."
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Harden remains positive with the Clippers' chances
Harden has been the Clippers' lifeboat this season. He is averaging 27.9 points, 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game. And he is doing everything in 34 minutes of playing time.
At 36 years old.
He is well aware of the load he needed to carry this season, but no one expected it to be this much, most certainly not him.
However, the Clippers have been losing a lot of games despite it, which is surprising considering the talent and depth that they have.
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They still have Leonard, though; coming off an injury, he can still make an impact on both ends. They also have a couple of veterans like John Collins and Nicolas Batum , who should be good enough to help out their younger guys.
Nevertheless, Harden, a former MVP, is optimistic that they can still turn things around, especially with him at the helm.
"I'm a firm believer — I work my butt off every single day. Not only for myself, but for my teammates," he said. "I've got more than enough faith in the front office, the coaching staff and the players to put everything together."
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Nov 26, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
