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On Wednesday night, James Harden and the LA Clippers faced the defending champion Denver Nuggets. Following the loss, one of Denver's stars made a comment that resonated with a lot of fans.
After the game, Jamal Murray spoke to reporters about the matchup with the Clippers. When asked what he'd like to see from James Harden with his new team, he said he wants the former MVP to shoot more.
Upon seeing this comment, LA Clippers fans agreed with what Murray said. They too would like to see the All-Star point increase his shooting volume.
Harden ended up having the fourth-fewest shot attempts against the Nuggets, but still managed to have an impactful performance. He finished the night with 20 points and 11 asissts on 6-for-10 shooting from the floor. After an ugly blowout loss a few weeks back, the Clippers managed to get revenge by taking down the Nuggets 111-102.
Breaking down James Harden's shot volume compared to previous years
When James Harden joined the LA Clippers, many expected there to be a slight dip in production. Playing alongside Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook, the group of stars needed to figure out how to co-exist with one another.
At one point in time, Harden was one of the top scorers in the NBA. However, he's embraced being more of a facilitator in recent years. He is fresh off leading the league in assists per game (10.7) with the Philadelphia 76ers last year.
Through his first 15 games with the Clippers, Harden is averaging 10.3 shot attempts per game. If he keeps this pace, it will be his lowest for a season since 2012. Ironically enough, that was a time when he was also flanked by multiple stars. 2012 was Harden's final year with the OKC Thunder before being traded to the Houston Rockets.
Harden isn't the prolific scorer he once was, but he is still capable putting up big numbers when given the chance. Last season, he averaged 21 points per game while getting up close to 15 shots a night. While he is the conductor of the Clippers' offense, Harden needs to get himself going as well for the team to operate at its best.
Still in the early stages, Harden and the other stars are still figuring out how to play with one another. As they get more comfortable, his shooting volume should increase slightly over time.
