December 14, 2024
Harden finished Friday's 120-98 loss to the Nuggets with 15 points (6-14 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 1-2 FT), five rebounds, six assists and two steals over 31 minutes.
ANALYSIS
Harden returned from a one-game absence Friday, but he struggled with his shot once again. It's only been two games, so fantasy managers shouldn't be overly concerned with the slight regression he's experiencing, but Harden is averaging 20.5 points per game while shooting a meager 35.4 percent from the floor since the beginning of December. Those numbers would be even more concerning if we remove the 39-point effort he notched in the Dec. 1 win over the Nuggets. Harden's role as the Clippers' go-to option on offense won't change any time soon, but his lack of efficiency and subpar shooting percentages are slightly concerning, particularly in category-based formats.