thelesterlee
The Dallas Mavericks are up 3-2 on the Clippers after a Game 5 beatdown. Dallas beat LA by 30 in the Clippers building thanks mainly to another Luka Doncic master class and no-call no-shows from the James Harden Paul George camp.
Harden scored 7 points on 16% shooting.
Paul George scored 15 points on 30% shooting.
The most important game of the season and they shrivel into nothing.
What…
James Harden is 34.
Paul George turned 34 today.
Two men whose entire legacies are defined by their putrid postseason performances, entering the twilight of their physical gifts, knowing this season may be their best chance at finally hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy over their heads—and they played like straight dog shit.
James Harden and Paul George were a combined 6-for-25 and 22 points while Dallas dropped bucket after bucket after bucket on them.
So what is going on with James Harden and Paul George?
Let’s start with the on-floor stuff.
Harden and PG have 19 All-Star games between them. I understand expecting them to take over when the games matter the most.
And then you watch the way this Clippers offense runs and even prime Michael Jordan would be confused by what’s happening around him.
Paul George catches the ball at the top of the key with Derrick Jones Jr wearing his skin, looks around at his options, and sees Amir Coffey (shooting 28% this series), Terance Mann (shooting 37% this series), and Russell Westbrook (shooting 25% this series)—no idea what he’s supposed to do here.
Same thing goes with James Harden.
I cannot watch him and Westbrook try another pick and roll where Harden forces a pass at the very short compared to the big men around him, Russell Westbrook, ending in a beautiful fastbreak finger roll finish from Kyrie Irving.
When either Harden or Paul George calls for a screen, hunting for a mismatch to exploit, Dallas brings the double team and now it’s Amir Coffey time to give someone on the Mavs a defensive rebound. How generous.
This entire first round demonstrates what great team building looks like against mediocre team building.
Look at Phoenix.
People are saying the Suns need to blow it all up when, in reality, they need to take all the Royce O’Neale and Eric Gordon minutes and give them to GOOD BASKETBALL PLAYERS.
I’m in the trenches for this Knicks-Sixers series where for a solid week straight, I’ve seen Sixers fans wanting to break up Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey as if the former MVP is the problem and not Tobias fucking Harris and Buddy Hield running 3-point line to 3-point line, getting their nightly cardio in.
Terance Mann had a huge 39-point game in the 2021 playoffs, eliminating the Utah Jazz and helping LA get to the Western Conference Finals. That was 3 years ago.
It’s over.
The Clippers need better players than PJ Tucker or else James Harden and Paul George are ALWAYS on the floor with 2 or 3 guys who are not scoring threats at all.
Do James Harden and Paul George deserve any of the blame?
We all know Harden and PG are terrified of big games. You can see their heart beating through their chest like a sharp-dressed cartoon wolf when he sees a bad bitch.
Kawhi Leonard was supposed to be the equalizer in LA but unfortunately, Kawhi’s legs are no longer capable of sustaining through an entire NBA season. And when Kawhi returns limping around, he adds absolutely nothing of value to this team.
It’s time for Paul George to move on. I’ve seen reports that the Sixers and Magic are interested in his services. He needs to play on a team where he can sort of just hide in the corner in games when he doesn’t have his jumper.
James Harden and Kawhi Leonard (and Russell Westbrook) should all file for retirement.
Sure, they can keep playing basketball. Harden and Kawhi will never be so bad they can’t make a roster. But at a certain point, you emotionally or physically cannot continue traveling the country every day from October to April, only to finally get the playoffs and disappear.
Unless James Harden has a humiliation fetish. We don’t kink shame here at Deadseriousness. Keep throwing up bricks if it helps you brick up, brother. I understand.
Do you think James Harden and Paul George deserve blame for all this? Leave a comment below. Respond on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Or shoot me an email at Deadseriousmailbag@gmail.com. Let’s chat, bay-beeeee. Let me know if you think Harden and George get a bad rep for their playoff failures.
