With the ball in his hands more and asked to run the offense, James Harden is off to a strong start to the season: 21.6 points, 8.5 assists and 6.8 rebounds per game.
Harden famously enjoys a fun night out, but one of the things he has focused more on in his age-35 season is getting enough sleep and prioritizing the care of his body. From ESPN’s Brian Windhorst:
People close to Harden told ESPN that he is doing everything he can to get the most sleep of his life since he can already play at age 35. Those close to the Clippers say Harden’s developing bond with new assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy has helped the guard’s daily preparation. Harden is known for enjoying life off the court, and he still does, but team personnel told ESPN that he pours the work onto the floor and often has a positive impact on getting teammates, especially center Ivica Zubac , to the gym for extra work.
The Clippers won — 14-10, sixth in the West — thanks to a top-five defense anchored by Zubac (who should be in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation). Los Angeles has gotten enough offense to get by, thanks to Harden, Zubac and a career year from Norman Powell. Harden’s efficiency lags (33.8% from beyond the arc, for example), but at 35 years old, he gives the Clippers everything they could ask for.
And he gets enough sleep.
