Harden was heavily criticized by Clippers fans! A Rockets reporter expressed no desire for his return: he always falters at crucial moments.

On December 13th Beijing time, the Clippers suffered a close 113-115 defeat to the Rockets. Harden’s actions in the closing moments drew widespread attention. Clippers fans criticized him for appearing sluggish, and a Rockets reporter bluntly said he hopes Harden does not return to Houston because he tends to crumble under pressure.

With 8.7 seconds remaining, the Clippers were down by three points and had to inbound from their baseline. The scene was chaotic: initially, no one stepped up to take the inbound pass; finally, Batum took responsibility to inbound the ball, but no teammate was willing to actively receive the pass.

According to American media, Harden was labeled the “main culprit” behind this chaotic moment. He leisurely walked away from Batum, merely shrugging his shoulders to signal a teammate to come get the ball. This scene infuriated Clippers fans, who harshly criticized Harden’s attitude after the game.

One fan angrily posted on social media: “Honestly, what was James Harden doing at that moment? Batum had the ball, the team had no timeouts left, and they had to inbound quickly to avoid a violation. We were down by three, desperately trying to tie the game, yet Harden deliberately distanced himself from the play, lazily gesturing for someone else to come receive the ball.”

Rockets reporter Roosh Williams also commented on social media: “James Harden remains a highly talented player. His skills can clearly benefit many teams, including the Rockets. But in this game’s critical moments, his effort in that key possession perfectly illustrates why I don’t want him back — every player on this Rockets team gives their all and fights hard, yet he consistently lets the team down when it matters most.”

So far this season, Harden has played 24 games, averaging 26.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 8.2 assists, with a shooting percentage of 44% and a three-point rate of 36.8%. The Clippers have a 6-19 record, ranking second to last in the Western Conference. Earlier reports indicated the Clippers currently have no plans to trade Harden or Kawhi Leonard.