INGLEWOOD — His brilliantly colored shoes dazzle us. His local charity work touches us. His grooming products consume us. Yet, through all of James Harden’s off-court endeavors, his dynamic basketball skills continue to wow NBA fans.
At 35, Harden isn’t slowing down. Not in business or basketball. Not in his work with overlooked communities or line of beard kits and certainly not in leading the Clippers this season.
With six-time All-Star Kawhi Leonard sidelined with lingering knee issues and nine-time All-Star Paul George gone to the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency, Harden has stepped up as the team’s leader this season. Not only does the former league MVP run the floor, partner with center Ivica Zubac in pick-and-rolls, and ensure balanced passing among the other starters, he is averaging 22.1 points and 8.3 assists in nearly 34 minutes per game this season.
“I make sure I communicate, but not overcommunicate and not overdo it,” said Harden, who re-signed with the team this summer on a two-year, $70 million deal. “When I see opportunities to voice my opinion and lead by example, I will.”
Coach Tyronn Lue said Harden has not only carried the team but made “guys better.”
“He’s scoring the basketball when we need him to, but just all around, he has been doing a great job for us,” Lue said of a player who has led the league in scoring three times. “We need every bit of it.”
Harden put on a vintage display against the Utah Jazz on Monday night, scoring 41 points and handing out six assists while wearing the latest version of his signature Adidas Volume 9 shoes – an eye-catching shiny chrome beauty. It was his second 40-point game this season, having scored 43 against the Washington Wizards last month.
The future Hall of Famer said that his consistently high-level play, especially after 16 years in the league, comes down to balance and doing the right thing every day, not his shoes.
“You take care of your body, you do the things that’s…
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