The real reason James Harden did not play well in the LA Clippers' run against the Denver Nuggets was assumed to be fatigue. His body movements did not look normal, and the likely cause was soreness, as the postseason had forced him to push himself just after playing 79 regular-season games.
Outside of fatigue, there were also signs of fear. Harden was not handling the ball with efficiency and attempting shots with flashiness, and this made a failure in game seven inevitable, as he posted seven points on 25.0% shooting.
Following the exit, Clippers fans hoped the front office had evaluated the potential consequences to re-signing Harden, and surely enough, they did.