The clock was ticking final evening with solely seconds remaining on the new Intuit Dome, and James Harden the ball in his palms. As they have been down by three, all The Beard might actually aspire was to shoot from vary, however rival Grayson Allen knocked the ball away and sealed Phoenix’s 116-113 win in California.
As soon as the video games was over, the Clippers level guard couldn’t disguise his frustration. “I’m so disenchanted that we didn’t get the win,” Harden mentioned, after he almost pushed his squad over the Suns’ trio of stars as he ended the season opener with 29 factors on 28 photographs, 12 rebounds, and eight assists.
He knew how vital it was to win their first historic contest of their new area. “That’s in all probability one of the crucial irritating issues I can take into consideration, so far as tonight, simply historical past in Inglewood, in Intuit Dome. The followers got here out and confirmed out, however we simply, we obtained the quick finish of the stick,” he assured postmatch.
Ty Lue mentioned James Harden might want to “be particular” till Kawhi Leonard returns.
Harden had a close to triple-double in a slim additional time defeat to the Phoenix Suns 🥴 pic.twitter.com/jINa5AfOsW
— Ball Exclusives (@ballexclusives) October 24, 2024
Regardless of solely dropping in 35.7% of his subject aim makes an attempt, plus solely 2-of-9 from past the arc, Harden was nonetheless LA’s largest offensive risk. “That’s a shot you noticed him shoot at shootaround 40 instances while you guys had the cameras on him, simply training that shot time and time once more, making an attempt to get it proper. Simply didn’t make the shot,” Ty Lue expressed.
Now that Paul George is in Philadelphia, Russell Westbrook was traded out to Denver, and Kawhi Leonard continues to recuperate from the identical harm that sidelined him in the course of the previous playoffs, a lot accountability falls on James. “That’s all we are able to ask; you’re not going to make each shot,” mentioned his head coach. “We want him to be particular till Kawhi will get again.”
The Beard is effectively conscious on what this can entail, as he’s needed to tackle this sort of weight earlier than, particularly throughout his time in Houston. Curious sufficient, it was throughout his time in each Brooklyn and Philly, when he needed to share an excessive amount of highlight and didn’t thrive alongside his fellow stars.
“The sacrifice function a pair years in the past was one other dialog,” Harden mentioned after their opening loss in Los Angeles. “For us with this staff, I believe it’s just a little little bit of each. It’s just a little bit scoring, just a little little bit of playmaking and making guys’ jobs quite a bit simpler.”
As a Los Angeles native James Harden defined why enjoying at new Intuit Dome ‘means every little thing’ to him and his group
The model new Intuit Dome, which value $2 billion to create, has now hosted about 25 live shows and two preseason video games. However up till this Wednesday evening, it nonetheless hadn’t acquired an official NBA sport. Regardless of shedding the season opener towards Phoenix, James Harden hopes to ship the remainder of the yr.
In accordance with the Los Angeles native, this new area has an enormous significance for him. “It means every little thing, man. Simply rising up, being from LA and also you had the Staples Middle, clearly you had the Discussion board,” he informed the press earlier than their begin of the marketing campaign towards the Suns.
The veteran recalled the historical past of basketball within the metropolis. “The Discussion board was initially the massive area the place the Lakers performed and Magic [Johnson] and all these greats right here in Inglewood,” he shared. “After which it moved over to the Staples Middle, you recognize what I imply? However simply being right here within the hood of L.A. … Steve Ballmer did it. He did it. He’s a genius.”
Harden is aware of that the Intuit Dome ought to develop into their fortress. “I really feel like we’ve to indicate out,” he anticipated. “I’m not going to individualize myself. I believe us as a company gotta present out and present that since we quote ‘misplaced’ or we’re ‘not a championship contender’ from outsiders, that we need to present out and convey some power into this constructing and win a variety of video games.”
