James Harden’s latest Game 7 stinker in NBA Playoffs continues his legendary struggles

James Harden appeared to conquer his eternal elimination game woes by turning in one of the best late-series playoff performances of his career to save the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 6 against the Denver Nuggets. Harden finished with 28 points, eight assists, and six rebounds to pace the Clippers to a blowout win that forced a Game 7 in the Denver in the best first round series of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.

The Clippers needed Harden to be at his best again with Game 7 in Denver. He didn’t deliver.

The Nuggets rocked the Clippers, 120-101, to advance to a second-round matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The season is over after round one for both of LA’s NBA franchises, and the way this game played out will do nothing to change Harden’s playoff reputation.

Harden finished with seven points, 13 assists, five rebounds, and two turnovers in 35 minutes in the loss. He shot 2-of-8 from the field, and finished -29 in the game. The Nuggets dominated every phase of the game, and the Clippers certainly did not lose solely because of Harden. Denver’s aggressive traps forced the ball out of Harden’s hands and made him a playmaker, and his teammates couldn’t hit shots. Still, Harden’s complete inability to bend the Denver defense was a big reason the Clippers failed in such epic fashion, and continues the narrative that’s marred his Hall of Fame career.

Harden is one of the greatest regular season performers among guards in NBA history. It’s a different story in the playoffs, and especially in elimination games. Harden had played in six Game 7s before 2025. He was averaging 21.3 points and seven rebounds per game in those contests, but he has shot only 36.3 percent from the floor and 22.2 percent from the three-point line while averaging 4.3 turnovers per game.

Here’s a brief history of his struggles in elimination games:

• In 2023 as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, Harden finished a Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics with nine points, seven assists, six rebounds, and five turnovers in 41 minutes on 3-of-11 shooting.
• In 2024 with the Clippers, Harden finished with 16 points, 13 assists, and seven rebounds on 5-of-16 shooting in 43 minutes in a loss to the Dallas Mavericks in Game 6 of their first-round series.
• In 2021 with the Brooklyn Nets, Harden shot 5-of-17 from the field and 2-of-12 from three in a Game 7 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. He finished with 22 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists.
• In 2015 with the Houston Rockets, Harden finished a Game 5 loss to the Golden State Warriors with 14 points, six rebounds, five assists, and 12 turnovers on 2-of-11 shooting from the floor.
• In 2017 with the Rockets, Harden finished the Rockets’ Game 6 loss to the San Antonio Spurs with 10 points, seven assists, and six turnovers on 2-of-11 shooting.

Harden has had some good elimination games, like when he popped off for 35 points on 11-of-25 shooting from the Rockets in 2019’s Game 6 defeat to the Warriors. In the bubble in 2020, he finished with 30 points (…. and six turnovers) on 12-of-20 shooting in a Game 5 loss to the Lakers.

Fans had a field day with Harden’s struggles:

Harden’s resume should make him one the greatest two-guards in NBA history. He has a legitimate claim to being a top-50 player all-time, and that might be conservative. Harden won 2018 NBA MVP, and finished second in voting three other times. His 2018 Rockets are one of the best teams ever not to reach the NBA Finals.

It’s just impossible to separate Harden’s awesome regular seasons from his playoff struggles. Harden turns 36 years old this summer, and is certainly on the downside of his career. He had another fantastic regular season for the Clippers, and could earn an All-NBA nod. Unfortunately, the way things ended were all too familiar.