IT TOOK 94 seconds for James Harden to show the NBA why the LA Clippers had spent the better part of five maddening months trying to acquire him.
On his very first touch as a member of the Clippers, Harden stood on the right wing of the Madison Square Garden floor. With New York Knicks guard Quentin Grimes on his hip, Harden used a screen from 7-footer Ivica Zubac to get downhill to the paint. Center Mitchell Robinson, New York's chief disruptor on defense with his 7-foot-4 wingspan, had stepped up to the top of the key to seal off the drive. But as Robinson extended his arms to minimize Harden's line of sight, the lefty rifled a bounce pass back to Zubac, putting him on the doorstep of the basket.
Harden's dime had been thrown directly between the legs of Robinson, a proud defender who had no choice but to foul Zubac. After the whistle blew, Robinson slammed the ball into the Madison Square Garden floor -- a concession that Harden, despite being on his fourth team in four years and missing nearly all of training camp and the first two weeks of the season, was still one of the NBA's trickiest players, and had clearly gotten the best of Robinson and the Knicks.
Still, the Clips were largely a mess that night in New York, committing a season-high 22 turnovers in a 111-97 loss. The outcome was the same two nights later, and two nights after that. The Clippers managed to lose their first five games with Harden, prompting harsh criticism of the 34-year-old and his fit with fellow stars Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook. Sure, coach Tyronn Lue said from the beginning that he'd need 10 games or so to find ideal lineups with the addition of Harden. But the early punditry had already rendered a verdict: This was a disaster.
What happened next is as surprising to some as it is season-defining.