"Tonight was on me": James Harden takes accountability for Clippers' shambolic loss vs Nets

The James Harden era in LA has been off to an underwhelming start. The Los Angeles Clippers have dropped to 0-3 since acquiring him. Harden played in two of those games where the Clippers were blown away 111-93 against the New York Knicks and 100-93 against the Brooklyn Nets.

There are evident chemistry issues between Harden, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook, which was premeditated by many. Harden has held himself accountable for Wednesday's loss to the shorthanded Brooklyn Nets. The former MVP recorded 12 points, eight rebounds, five assists and five turnovers:

"Individually for me, I just got to be a little bit better, strong with the basketball," Harden told reporters. "Other than that, we had opportunities the last two games, it came down to fourth quarter, whether it's a tie game or one-possession game. Tonight was on me as far as letting the ball get away."

Harden committed three turnovers in the fourth quarter alone. The Clippers were outscored by five points in that period, two points less than the eventual margin of loss. The Clippers built an eight-point lead in the first but, unfortunately, couldn't hold onto it. They leaked 16 points off 15 turnovers.

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James Harden has been an awkward fit for the Clippers

The LA Clippers have a quarter of superstars in their ranks. However, only Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are close to their peak. Former MVPs Russell Westbrook and James Harden are still impactful but in a transitioned role as primary facilitators.

Westbrook and Harden arguably aren't elite scorers anymore. They aren't dropping 30 points a night. Both are reliable on the ball, but their off-the-ball game is where things get tricky. Only one can play the point, and that's where one of the Clippers' struggles has emerged.

James Harden playing on the ball kills the spacing on the floor for the Clippers, as Russell Westbrook is a subpar 3-point shooter. Meanwhile, Harden is the better shooter between the two, but he hasn't been inserted in that role. Westbrook has given up the ball more often to his former OKC and Houston teammate than any other player since joining the Clippers.

Meanwhile, George and Leonard's touches have reduced further, impacting their contribution offensively. Against the Nets, LA's star quartet combined to shoot only 38% (24-of-63), including 6-of-26 from deep. They attempted a combined 12 free throws. George had eight, Leonard and Harden had two apiece, while Westbrook finished with none.

The LA Clippers must go Russell Westbrook as the primary facilitator. He was exceptional in that role before James Harden's arrival. It was crucial to the Clippers' early success, too. Westbrook's off-ball struggles are well-documented from his time with the Lakers, so that's definitely a change Ty Lue and his staff should consider making.