James Harden Issues Strong Statement on Clippers’ Title Chances

The Los Angeles Clippers have never made the NBA Finals in franchise history. James reached the NBA Finals in 2012 with the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the Thunder lost to the Miami Heat in five games. 

Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue won the 2016 title with the Cleveland Cavaliers, while Kawhi Leonard is a two-time champion and a two-time Finals MVP. 

So even though the Clippers have never won it all as an organization, they have a coach and players with Finals experience. 

Los Angeles is tied with the Denver Nuggets at 1-1 in the first round of the 2025 playoffs. Harden, the 2018 MVP who will be in the Hall of Fame one day, told Marc J. Spears of Andscape that he believes the Clippers can reach the promised land this year. 

“I’m so comfortable in my world and what I supposed to be doing out there," Harden said. "I think we got the team. We can play isolation basketball with two great ISO players. We got postgame with Zu [Ivica Zubac] and Whi [Leonard]. Defensively, we’ve been really, really good all year. 

"So, for me, it’s about just keeping my composure, just going out there and reading the game and doing what I am supposed to be doing. We got a chance to be the last team standing, which is easier said than done. But we focus on ourselves. We are playing well right now.”