James Harden’s Season Takes a Turn: Earns Teammates’ Admiration for Chemistry Boost

While James Harden faced criticism earlier in the season, recent victories for the Clippers have shifted the narrative. Following a win against the Dallas Mavericks, NBA legend Isiah Thomas praised Harden’s impact on team chemistry during an NBA Gametime discussion.

Thomas expressed his admiration, not just for Harden’s individual performance, but for his ability to endear himself to teammates. “I’m extremely impressed with James Harden,” said Thomas. “Not by the way he’s playing, but by the way he’s made his teammates fall in love with him. They really like playing with James Harden. James likes giving up the ball, and he’s scoring.”

Thomas highlighted a specific moment against the Indiana Pacers when Harden’s impressive three-pointers were followed by a celebratory display, including making snow angels on the court. Thomas found this particularly noteworthy because of the camaraderie it inspired among teammates.

“When he was hot the other night and he made the threes and then he fell on the floor and he made the snow angels, I liked seeing him that happy, but what was really more impressive was the teammates who gathered around him, happy for him because he’s playing well,” Thomas stated. “This is rubbing off on the Clippers; they’ve got great chemistry right now, they’re playing well.”

The Clippers recently had their 9-game winning streak snapped by the Oklahoma City Thunder after an undefeated December. Now, they aim to start a new winning streak against the Boston Celtics on Saturday.