O Neal explains why Clippers star James Harden is not doing well in big games

According to recent reports from U.S. sports media F/W contributor Gautam Varyl. Shaquille O'Neal thinks James Harden cares too much about what people say, which leads to his poor performance in some big and important games. Harden’s 2024-25 season has a lot to like, but like many other seasons, it ended in disappointment. Harden failed to stand up again in Game 7, with the Los Angeles Clippers being eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the first round, and Shaquille O'Neal had an argument about why he struggled in these important games.

"I can see it in your eyes when you care," O'Neal said on The Big Podcast with Shaq. "We played a few games and he didn't stand up...I already knew they weren't going to stand up because it was a controversial topic. If you had an attitude that I didn't care, you would shoot 30 times instead of 8, James Harden. When he got on the court, I could tell he cared about what people said," O'Neal added. "He's still a Hall of Famer, you're still making a lot of money, but you care what people say. You're just adding to your pressure."

Harden scored 7 points (2-8 FG), 5 rebounds, 13 assists, 2 steals and 1 block, and the Clippers lost 120-101 in Game 7 and were eliminated. In a game of this size, only 8 shot attempts are unacceptable. Harden now averages 19.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 7.9 assists, 2.6 steals and 1.3 blocks in his seventh game of his career and has a 3-4 record. The former MVP is not inefficient, shooting 35.5% from the field and 22.4% from the field from outside the three-point line.

This recent loss means Harden becomes the first player in NBA history to lose Game 7 on four different teams. The 11-time All-Star’s last loss before that came against the Boston Celtics in the 2023 Eastern Conference semifinals, when he played for the Philadelphia 76ers. The situation is similar when it comes to Harden's loss to the Celtics. He had only nine points (3-11 FG), six rebounds, seven assists, two steals and one block, and the 76ers lost 112-88.

Harden is no longer the incredible scorer he used to be when he won three consecutive scoring champions from 2018 to 2020, but you still have more expectations for him in these key games. As O'Neal said, the 35-year-old is just adding to the claims about him becoming a playoff pitcher.

Despite all the struggles Harden has experienced in the past, people hope this time will be different. He averaged 22.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 8.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.7 blocks in the 2024-25 season, which was impressive and even earned a place in the third-tier of the NBA. Harden scored 28 points in Game 6 against the Nuggets, helping the Clippers avoid being eliminated. He was ready to correct past mistakes, but he failed to fulfill them.

The person who has not lost in Game 7 in their careers is O'Neal. He scored 3-1 in the game, averaging 26.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.5 steals and 2.5 blocks per game. He has at least 15 shots in three of these four games, and it’s the aggressive force his team needs. Do you agree with O'Neal's comment on Harden?