James Harden out against Warriors due to shoulder injury

James Harden was unable to participate in the LA Clippers‘ narrow victory over the Golden State Warriors (103-102) Monday night in Inglewood. The 36-year-old veteran was suffering from right shoulder stiffness and was declared out after participating in pregame warmups.

A rare absence for the Clippers’ offensive leader

This marks only the third game Harden has missed this season, demonstrating his remarkable availability despite his advanced age. The star point guard is actually having one of his best offensive seasons in recent years, averaging 25.7 points per game – his highest total since the 2019-2020 season when he finished as the NBA‘s leading scorer.

Harden’s statistics this season reflect his crucial importance in the Clippers’ system. He ranks seventh in the league with 8.0 assists per game and is tied for tenth in playing time with 35.4 minutes per contest.

Fatigue linked to increased responsibilities

Coach Tyronn Lue explained the reasons for this injury before the game, pointing to the exceptional workload his player has had to shoulder. « I think it’s definitely body fatigue, all the things he’s had to do to carry the offense when Kawhi was out, » said the Clippers coach. « We didn’t really have a second scorer. He had to do a lot for us. »

This explanation refers to the difficult period the team went through in November, when Kawhi Leonard missed 10 games due to an ankle and foot sprain. During his star’s extended absence, Harden had to carry the Los Angeles offense on his shoulders, logging heavy minutes and taking on increased responsibilities.

Despite their star point guard’s absence, the Clippers managed to win by a single point over the Warriors, demonstrating the roster depth built by the California franchise to handle these types of situations.