Kawhi Leonard is not known to exhibit too many emotions on the court. But even “The Klaw” couldn’t contain himself when his teammate, James Harden, made a bizarre attempt to contest his shot during Thursday’s game between the Clippers and Trail Blazers. As seen below, Leonard could be seen putting his hands up and giving a bewildered look to Harden for his inexplicable play.
After the game, Harden provided a hilarious justification as to why he contested Leonard’s shot.
“I was trying to bring some excitement to this team,” Harden told reporters. “I mean, these last few weeks have been a fog for us. I think every team goes through it. So, it was just me trying to create energy, create a great vibe for this team. Maybe it would’ve been better if he had made the shot… but I was trying to give them something to laugh about, some excitement.”
Did he succeed in his effort to bring excitement to the team?
“Yeah, I did,” the guard responded with a big smile.
Funny enough, it was Harden who created a wide-open look for Leonard with his dribble penetration and drive-and-kick expertise. That’s why his reflex action of guarding Leonard left so many perplexed.
Harden’s justification notwithstanding, he’s sure to make “Shaqtin’ a Fool” when Shaquille O’Neal releases his next reel of NBA bloopers.
It now remains to be seen if Harden’s master plan to re-energize the Clippers works. The Tyronn Lue-coached team has hit a slump in recent weeks, going 9-10 over its last 19 games. With just 14 games left in their season, the fourth-seeded Clippers could use some momentum heading into next month’s playoffs, especially with the Pelicans lurking just a game behind them in the standings.
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