James Harden might’ve increased his regular-season scoring average from 16.6 to 22.8, but it’s still not enough to end his playoff woes. The LA Clippers’ first-round exit against the Denver Nuggets felt all too familiar, and Harden found himself back in the firing line. Game 7 was once again the breaking point, and this time, it was a former NBA star, Jim Jackson, who didn’t hold back in pointing out where things may have unraveled. If you’re a Clippers fan, this series likely reopened some painful memories. Back in 2020, it was the Nuggets who spoiled their playoff dreams in another brutal Game 7.
Fast forward to now, and the same result repeated itself. For Harden, though, this loss cut even deeper. It marked his fourth career defeat in a Game 7—and perhaps more tellingly, made him the first player in NBA history to lose a Game 7 with four different teams. That stat alone speaks volumes, and Jackson seems to think there’s more to it than just bad luck.
“James was up and down in this series… He was good, he was good. When he wasn’t, he wasn’t. When he was engaged early, like in game six, he was a difference maker. In game seven, that same engagement just wasn’t there. And a lot of what happens with the Clippers is based around the temperament of James and what I mean, his body language. When I, when he’s really aggressive offensively, the team tends to follow that,” Jackson said. Interestingly, Jackson wasn’t always this critical.
But there is still no excuse for James Harden to lose Game 7 for the fourth time in his career. And Jackson, once again, sees where the fault was. “Game seven in Denver. But too many mental errors and mistakes limited to that. And James never found his rhythm,” he said on the Dan Patrick Show. The former NBA star went to the extent of claiming that James Harden didn’t even have to score 25-30 points every game. All he needed to do was score around 18 points, dish 10-12 assists, and control the tempo of the game.
Going into the playoffs, the ex-NBA star had a fair bit of hope for this Clippers squad. With Kawhi Leonard back in the lineup and Ivica Zubac playing arguably his best basketball, enough to even be in the Most Improved Player conversation, expectations were high. Jackson seemed to be rooting for them.
Unfortunately, though, the Clippers lost the series all the same by 4-3. And Jackson’s chain of thought is not misplaced here about the team following James Harden’s pace. Although the Clippers lost Game 1 despite James Harden scoring 32 points and 11 assists, let’s not forget that it was a close matchup, and a conclusion only came from overtime. In the three games that LAC won, Harden scored close to 20 points or more. Meanwhile, in the other three games that they lost, he scored 15 points or fewer.
Mar 28, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) before the start of the third quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
“Then a lot of that narrative and out of that noise, a lot of that chirping, a lot of people now say, well, James has done a great job leading the Clippers. But that didn’t happen. And as a result, a team that I thought could get to the Western Conference finals lost to a great team,” Johnson said. And now the Clippers face a bigger question: what’s next?
LAC General Manager opens up on future plans with Kawhi Leonard and James Harden
Clippers fans hoping to see Kawhi Leonard and James Harden suit up again next season might have a reason to breathe easy, at least for now. Team president of basketball operations, Lawrence Frank, recently shared that the organization fully expects both stars to return for the upcoming campaign. That said, even with optimism in the air, Frank didn’t ignore the unpredictable nature of NBA contracts and negotiations. He openly admitted that the business side of things could impact those expectations.
When it comes to Harden, the message from Frank was pretty straightforward—he hasn’t seriously entertained the idea of the 35-year-old not being on the roster. With a $36 million player option on the table for 2024-2025, Harden has a decision to make. But based on Frank’s remarks, there’s no question about how the team feels. “We were very, very happy with everything we wanted from James, we got it and then some,” he said.
The veteran guard certainly showed up, averaging 22.8 points and 8.7 assists across 79 games. “At his age, to deliver what he did… we have a deep appreciation for that,” Frank added, acknowledging Harden’s durability and value. As for Leonard, the Clippers remain invested. Even with lingering knee issues limiting him to just 37 games, he still put up 21.5 points per game and shot 41 percent from beyond the arc.
With June 29 looming—Harden’s deadline to decide—Frank emphasized his goal clearly: “I’m going in with the intent… to reach an agreement that works for James and the Clippers.” It seems Frank realizes what Jim Jackson had to say on the Dan Patrick Show: the Clippers’ intent depends upon how Harden leads the team.
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