James Harden, the star guard for the LA Clippers, didn’t play in Thursday night’s game against the Phoenix Suns. He sat the game due to personal reasons. The Clippers noted that Harden’s absence from the game was for personal family reasons not related to basketball. That is the first game he has missed this year.
Harden, an 11-time All-Star, recently played in a game where he scored 25 points in a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday. His comeback had been a rallying point for the Clippers as they fought through the first half of the season. The team acquired Harden in a complex seven-team trade during the offseason, which saw Kevin Durant move to the Houston Rockets. This massive trade went on to redefine the rosters of many teams in the league, particularly for both the Los Angeles Clippers and the Phoenix Suns.
In addition to Harden’s absence, the Clippers faced another challenge as forward Kawhi Leonard remained sidelined due to a sprained right ankle. Leonard has experienced ongoing issues with injuries this season, and his absence further complicated the Clippers’ lineup against a formidable Suns team. It’s unclear from the available information if Leonard’s absence overlapped with Harden’s, though.
The Suns were no stranger to their own adversities. Bradley Beal, despite spending the previous two seasons in Phoenix, was still getting back into form after undergoing offseason back surgery. Beal endured multiple injury hurdles in his first season as a Sun. We’re still early in 2023, but his recovery has become one of the most debated topics between fans and analysts.
It’s one thing when a team can’t adapt to their top two scorers. They were tested with their best matchup to date in the Suns, one of the most offensively gifted teams in the league. Injuries and personal issues were a huge factor in team chemistry early on. The final result of the football match highlighted these issues starkly.
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