All over the place James Harden tried to go, there was Christian Braun in his method. For that, thank the non-public scouting report supplied up from Harden’s former teammate and Denver Nuggets sixth man Russell Westbrook. He handed alongside loads of helpful tricks to Braun about guarding the Los Angeles Clippers‘ star.
Intently lined by Braun all evening, Harden was simply 2-of-8 from the ground and scored seven factors within the Clippers’ season-ending 120-101 loss to the Nuggets on Saturday in Recreation 7 of their first-round playoff collection.
Harden has misplaced a Recreation 7 with 4 totally different groups: the Houston Rockets (2018), Brooklyn Nets (2021), Philadelphia 76ers (2023) and now the Clippers. In these 4 losses, Harden has averaged 17.5 factors per recreation whereas taking pictures 33.8% (22-of-65) from the ground.
His groups have gone 3-4 in Recreation 7s all through his profession.
This yr’s matchup with the Nuggets was a sporadic taking pictures collection for Harden throughout as he shot 43.6%. After going off for 32 factors in Recreation 1, he averaged simply 16.5 factors per recreation the remainder of the collection.
“James is a tricky cowl,” mentioned Westbrook, who was teammates with Harden final season. “Christian did a superb job making an attempt to make the sport tough on him. I assumed he did a wonderful job and he has been doing that every one yr.”
Braun deflected the credit score. He mentioned he was capable of play tighter protection on Harden due to gamers comparable to Aaron Gordon behind him. They had been there ready, simply in case Harden broke away.
“I couldn’t decide him up and stress him all recreation if I didn’t have the blokes behind me that had been flying round,” Braun mentioned.
Braun listened intently to the phrases of knowledge from Westbrook.
“He’s performed in opposition to James. He’s performed with James, so he sort of is aware of his recreation,” Braun mentioned. “He was telling me what appears to present him, when to present him this look, when to do that, when to power him proper, when he goes proper that is what he’s doing. I realized that over the course of this collection. I bought higher and higher as we went and the blokes and the coaches trusted me tonight. We didn’t wish to change, they stored me on him all evening.”
Braun was simply as massive on the offensive finish, too. He had 21 factors, together with three 3-pointers in Recreation 7. Nevertheless it was his protection that earned probably the most reward.
“He did what he’s been doing,” Nuggets interim coach David Adelman mentioned. “We tried to be a bit extra conservative as soon as he crossed half-court within the protection. However then it was on Christian to get by screens and get again in entrance of him, to take care of our protection.”
For Clippers coach Tyronn Lue, it was a tough forty eighth birthday. His staff trailed by double digits at halftime and fell behind by 35 factors within the fourth quarter.
“Powerful loss. Not enjoying our greatest recreation in a state of affairs like this, lots of feelings,” Lue mentioned. “I instructed guys to deliver it in, one final hug.”
They’ll take solace in the truth that Kawhi Leonard heads into the offseason as wholesome as he is been shortly. He did not make his season debut till Jan. 4 as a result of points together with his surgically repaired proper knee. Harden held issues down till Leonard’s return, which Lue applauded.
The Clippers entered the postseason because the league’s hottest staff, having received 18 of 21, and Lue was already wanting previous the frustration.
“These two collectively for a complete season, I feel can be great,” Lue mentioned.
Harden, although, turns 36 in August and Leonard turns 34 subsequent month. Is there a degree of encouragement the Clippers can proceed to construct round them?
“I suppose we’re nonetheless enjoying at a excessive degree in a way,” Leonard mentioned. “It’ a tough query to reply proper now.”
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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