James Harden Voices Frustration as Clippers’ Early Struggles Continue

The Los Angeles Clippers’ rocky start to the 2025–26 NBA season continued Monday night with a 105–102 home loss to the Atlanta Hawks, their seventh defeat in ten games. Despite a brilliant individual performance from James Harden, the team once again came up short in the clutch, leaving both players and fans searching for answers.

Harden was spectacular on paper, posting a triple-double with 35 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. But his late-game decision-making — particularly a missed three-pointer with 16 seconds left — proved costly as the Clippers failed to execute down the stretch. The former MVP’s effort underscored a larger issue for Los Angeles: star power alone hasn’t been enough to overcome inconsistency and disjointed play.

After the game, Harden spoke candidly about the team’s struggles, pointing to constant lineup changes and a lack of rhythm. “We haven’t had any consistency, for real,” Harden said, per Sports Illustrated’s Joey Linn. “We’ve had so many different lineups, so many guys in and out of the rotation… Guys are all over the place. Some guys haven’t played in ever.”

The 10-time All-Star went on to describe a roster in flux, noting that “some guys are just put in the rotation” and that chemistry remains a work in progress. The comments echoed what many observers have seen on the court — a talented but unsettled team still searching for its identity.

1. Growing Pains and Missed Opportunities

Harden’s late three-point attempt highlighted the Clippers’ recurring problem of poor late-game execution. With the game within reach and the shot clock winding down, Harden launched an off-balance attempt hoping to draw a foul, but no whistle came. The play effectively ended Los Angeles’ comeback bid and left fans questioning the team’s decision-making in critical moments. Despite the miss, Harden has been one of the few bright spots for the Clippers this season, averaging 23.4 points, 9.3 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game. Signed to a two-year, $81.5 million contract over the summer, he has delivered production but not yet the stability or leadership needed to steer the team out of its slump. Head coach Tyronn Lue has been vocal about the need for patience as the team integrates new rotations and deals with injuries. Still, with the Clippers sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference, time may be running short to find cohesion. The team’s offensive talent — with Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George — has not consistently translated into wins. The Clippers’ shooting has been streaky, their defensive intensity inconsistent, and turnovers frequent. While flashes of brilliance appear each night, the inability to sustain strong play over four quarters continues to define their disappointing start.

2. Off-Court Distractions and Lingering Issues

The Clippers’ struggles aren’t confined to the court. The organization is still dealing with fallout from an ongoing league investigation involving Kawhi Leonard and the now-defunct company Aspiration, which allegedly attempted to orchestrate a backroom endorsement arrangement to bypass salary-cap rules. The situation has added unwanted attention to a franchise already under pressure to perform. Leonard himself has been dealing with injury setbacks, forcing him to miss multiple upcoming games. His absence has left the team thin on both ends of the floor and placed an even greater burden on Harden and George to carry the load. Without their full complement of stars, the Clippers’ lack of depth and aging roster have been exposed. Veteran guard Chris Paul, brought in to stabilize the second unit, has struggled to make an impact. Playing just 12.9 minutes per game, Paul is averaging only 2.3 points, far below his career norms. The decline has limited the Clippers’ flexibility and compounded concerns about how much gas remains in the tank for a roster built around veterans. For a franchise with decades of postseason frustration, these challenges have only deepened the sense of déjà vu. The Clippers entered the season with hopes of contending in the West, but the combination of injuries, off-court distractions, and inconsistency now threatens to derail those ambitions before Thanksgiving.

3. Searching for Answers

As losses pile up, the Clippers are running out of easy explanations. Lue and his coaching staff have experimented with rotations, but chemistry remains elusive. Harden’s blunt assessment of the situation reflects a locker room aware of its issues yet struggling to correct them. The upcoming schedule offers little relief. Los Angeles faces a string of playoff-caliber opponents over the next two weeks, including the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves. Each matchup will test whether the Clippers can find the consistency Harden and Lue have been preaching. For Harden, the path forward lies in trust and structure. “It’s a lot that goes into it,” he said of the team’s ongoing adjustments. The message suggests that while the pieces are there, the process of fitting them together will take time — time the Clippers can’t afford to waste. If Los Angeles hopes to climb back into contention, it must rediscover its defensive edge and establish a defined rotation that maximizes its veteran core. Until then, frustration — both within the locker room and among fans — will continue to mount.