James Harden may be Kawi Leonard’s teammate now, but it was extremely difficult to play against him.
The LA Clippers formed one of the NBA’s most underrated duos when they combined Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.
The pair put together a decent season this year, moving many despite Denver’s first round playoff exit against the Nuggets.
Leonard questioned his Clippers’ future in the aftermath of Game 7 loss to the Nuggets. As the Clippers are about to run it, expect Harden and Kawhi to play together next season.
But before they became teammates, Harden and Leonard were Western rivals.
Now, a few years later, Harden spoke about his experience playing Leonard during his tough years in the West.
James Harden was a guest of Omar’s highlights. Harden gave some important insights when talking about his days with the Rockets against Kawi Leonard and the Spurs.
The previous MVP admitted that playing against Leonard was challenging as he didn’t allow you to control the ball. He explained that Leonard’s physical attributes are too strong, and that’s what makes him a great defender.
“You can’t play basketball in front of him, his arms and his hands clearly make him an elite defender.
“You just… no matter what movement, you’re decisive and you have to go with it.”
When he joined the Raptors in 2018 when he was drafted by the Spurs, Kawi and Harden played each other multiple times in both the regular season and the playoffs.
But now they have been teammates for nearly two seasons. The playoff success hasn’t come yet, but the Clippers are happy to advance the All-Star duo.
Despite exits from consecutive first rounds in the playoffs, the Clippers are faithful to Kawi Leonard James Harden Tandem.
The pair shows that they can play on the offensive edge when they are both healthy. And on the defensive side, Kowhi Leonard is as good a defender as you can expect.
James Harden’s playoff dip is a concern, but he’s more than a second option. Especially if Kawhi Leonard, one of the NBA’s Clutchest players, is his first choice.
The Clippers’ goal is to surround them with the best pieces possible. It’s clear that the current core behind Harden and Leonard cannot accomplish that.
This shows that the Clippers’ starting crew during the playoffs and that Ty Lue considers him to be his best five.
| position | Player |
| Point Guard | James Harden |
| Shooting Guard | Crisis Dun |
| A small front | Norman Powell |
| Power Forward | Kauhi Leonard |
| center | Ivica Zubac |
All these players are scheduled to return to the Clippers next season, with no major deals. Perhaps the Clippers have used other players such as Bogdan Bogdanovic, Nicholas Batam and Derrick Jones Jr. in several deals to improve the bench rotation piece.
With the Western Conference becoming more competitive than ever, the Clippers’ roster desperately needs some changes. Buildings around James Harden and Kawi Leonard are their best choice. But it will be interesting to see what the Clippers are trying to pursue.