James Harden says ‘I need about a 10-game window’ to get comfortable with Clippers

“It’s going to take them a few more games to figure out spacing, to figure out when is the time to push,” stated Kyrie Irving after the Mavericks dropped the Clippers to 0-3 in the James Harden era (via Tomer Azarly).

It’s going to take 10 games if you ask James Harden.

Harden’s statistics have been below his career averages so far. He’s averaged 14.3 points and 4.7 assists per game, shooting 54.2%. This does not meet expectations and does not align with what the Clippers need from him.

It was always going to take time for four guys including Harden, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook, who all want to create off the dribble. However, the results of the pairing have been less than stellar through three games. Los Angeles is not only 0-3, their defense and offense rankings are also dismal. Additionally, they are 29th in net rating, just ahead of the rebuilding Spurs. Westbrook is getting more shots than Paul George, and Harden has been more comfortable acting as a facilitator.

Alarming is the lack of urgency from the Clippers thus far. It seems as though they are overthinking the game and missing aggressiveness instints, which is a behavior that needs to change.

Despite the young season, the 3-5 Clippers cannot afford to dig themselves into a deep hole, especially in a competitive Western conference. This makes upcoming games against Memphis and Houston crucial. They need to secure some wins, with Harden needing to play a central role in this mission.