07 November 2023 , 16:01
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James Harden admitted he was 'winging it' as he finally made his LA Clippers debut in the NBA on Monday night.
Harden was traded from the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 30 to the Clippers, as a saga that had lasted all off-season came to an end. The 10-time All-Star had requested a trade back in June, days after signing a $36.6 million player option in his contract, and eventually got his wish to move to Los Angeles.
On Monday, Harden took to the court for the Clippers for the first time against the New York Knicks as they suffered a 111-97 loss to the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
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After failing to find a bucket in the first quarter, Harden scored 17 points over the remainder of the game. It was the first time that Harden had been on the court since May. 14 when the Sixers lost in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semi-final at the hands of the Boston Celtics.
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Prior to the trade, Harden's offseason activities had been limited by his desire to force through a move and he knows it will take a while to get up to speed.
"I feel kind of weird out there," Harden told reporters after the Clippers defeat to the Knicks on Monday, via . "But just not really having a pre-season game or an opportunity to participate in the full training camp or none of that.
“It was just [being] out there and just basically winging it. Try to go off my basketball instincts and what I've been doing for the last few years or whatnot.
“I just went out there and playing and thinking the game and trying to make the game easier for everybody else."
James Harden made his debut for the LA Clippers on Monday night (Rich Schultz/Getty Images)Against the Knicks, Harden made 6-of-9 field goals with three rebounds and six assists to go with his 17 points. The former MVP played 31 minutes in what was his first game for nearly six months
Harden will be staying in New York for his next game as the Clippers go to the Barclays Center to face his former team, the Brooklyn Nets. That will be followed by another road game against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday in what will be Harden and the Clippers’ first experience of the NBA In-Season Tournament.
Clippers fans will get their chance to see Harden in his home debut on Sunday against the Memphis Grizzlies.