Harden and Jokic have played 25 times, and Jokic is averaging 19.2 points per game. What about Harden?

The Clippers' first round of the playoffs are the Nuggets.

Harden is going to face his old opponent Jokic again.

If Harden was in the Rockets era and met the Nuggets, then the Saga would think this was a one-sided game, because Harden was too strong. He was the nemesis of the big center. His playing style was very restrained by Kidd and very restrained by the Nuggets! On the offensive end, Harden has a very strong ability to play the big inside player in a misplaced position, and all centers are unwilling to switch defenses to Harden on the defensive end. Because when facing Harden, he will always be shaken to the point of "jumping up and down".

Gobert has a good defense. He is the best defensive player in the NBA in 4 years and has a strong ability to protect the basket in the interior. Many players break through to the basket, and the basket is close at hand. However, because they are afraid of his defense, they dare not make layups easily, and dare not break through to the interior to attack the basket easily, challenging Gobert's defense. This is Gobert's defensive deterrence. He can lift one team’s defense to another level. But he was always helpless in defending Harden. Harden is too difficult to defend. He is skilled in the ball control, rich in offensive methods, and three-pointers retreating are the best in the world. If you fear his three-pointers, you must defend well and always focus on defending him. However, Harden has too many fake moves, and he has three-pointers retreating and three-pointers, and after continuous changes, the defensive players will be stunned by him and lose their center of gravity. He will quickly break through to the basket, make a throw or layup, or throw the ball high, and cooperate with the center short.

You want to limit his breakthrough, and he can punish your defense with accurate three-pointers!

Moreover, he has very strong mid-range shooting and fouling ability, and his offensive end is unsolvable. Average of 30+ points per game is as simple as drinking water for him.

Let Jokic defend Harden at his peak. Jokic is strong in offense and passing, and defense is not his strength! When Harden plays a pick-and-roll with the team inside, Jokic will be transferred out to defend Harden. At the peak, Harden misplaced singles, which can be said to be very easy. Jokic cannot defend Harden's breakthrough or Harden's shooting.

Harden's style of playing at his peak was very restrained by the Nuggets.

In order not to meet the Rockets led by Harden too early in the playoffs, the Nuggets still worked hard to pick opponents in the record to avoid meeting the Rockets too early.

Harden has played against Jokic 25 times in his NBA career, all of which are in the regular season.

In these matches, Jokic averaged 19.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.7 blocks per game.

, and Harden averaged 27.9 points, 6 rebounds, 8.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.6 blocks per game, shooting percentage of 44.8%, three-point shooting percentage of 39.3%, and free throw shooting percentage of 82.6%.

The two sides have a record of 9 wins and 16 losses, while Harden has an advantage in 16 wins and 9 losses.

Of course, today is different from the past. Harden is no longer Harden during the Rockets era. He has suffered severe injuries and is older. His explosiveness and athletic ability have declined, and his offensive end has declined significantly.

If the Clippers want to defeat the Nuggets, Harden must play better offensively. Harden played 79 games this season, averaging 35.3 minutes per game, averaging 22.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game, shooting percentage of 41% and three-point shooting percentage of 35.2%. It seems that averaging 22.8 points per game is very good, but for Harden at his peak, this is already a very poor performance. Only those who met Harden at the peak back then did they know how strong he was back then!

Harden's decline on the offensive end was due to his injury. Since the Nets were injured, he began to decline on the offensive end. I think a large part of his decline came from his psychological problems. He was always afraid of being injured again every time he made a move. He seemed very hesitant on the offensive end. You should know that before he was injured, he would be terriblely strong as soon as he got the ball. No matter what opponent you are in front of you, you can take a three-pointer in the back, break through, or make a foul free throw, all the opponents choose the same. If you defend three-pointer, I will break through you, and if I defend a foul, I will shoot mid-range shot. If it really doesn't work, I can still make an opponent foul and go to the free throw line to get points. But now he doesn't feel this way at all on the offensive end, and he can only occasionally burst out for one or two games.

Where did Harden, who is omnipotent on the offensive end, go? Can anyone tell me? Can Harden answer this answer himself?

However, every year, Harden can occasionally suddenly break out in the playoffs and lead the team to win. I hope he can do this in the first game.

Harden is old, and Jokic is at his peak. This season, Jokic scored a triple-double all-around data averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game, which is very outstanding. Like Harden back then, he was so strong on the offensive end that his opponent didn't know how to defend.

If the Clippers want to win the Nuggets, Harden must regain his peak form on the offensive end! Harden will make a firm decision when it is time to make a breakthrough, and do not hesitate.