Are these two guys the biggest choke artist of their generation?
They both had great teams throughout their careers, however they also have a history of choking in the playoffs. Who’s had more playoff blunders and disappointing moments?
CP3 choking moments
2013 First Round: Clippers up 2-0 against the Grizzlies went on to lose next 4 games in that series.
2014 WCSFs: With a chance go up 3-2 against the KD and Russell Westbrook OKC. Lead was 102-97 CP3 poor decision making with the ball, fouled Russell Westbrook, and was stripped by Serge Ibaka
2015 WCSFs: Blew up a 3-1 lead to the Rockets. Dealing with a hamstring injury. Blake Griffin disappeared
2016 First Round: Blake and CP3 both caught the injury bug.
2017 First Round: Choke again had 13 pts and 9 assist in Game 7. Blake Griffin went down in game 1 of that serious against Utah. Clippers blew the series lead for the 5 straight postseason which is a NBA record.
2018 WCFs: Gets hurt game 5 of the 2018 WCFs. Rockets had the series lead up 3-2 against the Warriors.
2019 WCSFs: KD gets hurt you would think this is CP3 and Harden year? Nope. They disappeared down the stretch and Steph and Klay turns it on send the Rockets home in 6.
2021 Finals: Had the series lead Suns up 2-0, and Giannis and the Bucks win the next 4 games.
2022 WCSFs: Again Phoenix had the lead up 2-0 Dallas beat them in 7. CP3 struggle throughout the series and in Game 6 he had more turnovers than assists for the second time in the last 4 games of that series. Also became the first player in NBA history to have 5 blown 2-0 series leads in a best of seven series. This was also his 4th consecutive game 7 loss.
2023 WCSFs: CP3 gets hurt.
Story of his career if he’s not hurt he’s choking, if he’s not choking, he’s hurt.
James Harden choking moments
2012 Finals: Disappeared. Struggle to be effective wasn’t really aggressive as he was series prior. Very timid in shooting the ball, and committed turnovers.
2014 First Round: Game 1 the James Harden and the Rockets had the lead over the Blazers by 11 points. Blazers force overtime and Rockets went up by 6 and eventually Blazers cut into the lead and won the game. James Harden missed the game winning shot. Game 4 went into overtime James Harden disappeared again Blazers went on 9-2 run. Game 6 Damian Lillard broke their hearts. Dwight Howard was the best player for the Rockets this series.
2015 WCFs: Game 2 down by 1 the James Harden has the chance to be a hero prevent the Rockets from going down 0-2. Harden losses the ball and Warriors went on to win Game 2. Game 5 James Harden set up a playoff record 12 turnovers breaking John Williamson record which he held for 31 years.
2016 First Round: James Harden goes missing. Warriors blown them out by 33 points without Steph Curry. Steph miss game 2 and 3 because of his ankle in Game 1. Played in game 4 and got hurt again this time his knee, and the warriors blew out the Rockets by 27.
2017 WCSFs: Game 5 with a chance to tie the game to go in double overtime James Harden gets blocked by Manu Ginobili. Game 6 he disappears and fouls out.
2018 WCFs: Won Game 5 despite losing Chris Paul for the remainder of the series due to a hamstring injury. Game 6 Rockets had the lead up by 17 on Golden State. Rockets were outscored 64-25 Game 6 Klay showed up forcing Game 7. Rockets had the lead by 15 points in Game 7 despite James Harden 32 points Golden State comes back and wins the series. The team went 1-30 from downtown, and missed 27 consecutive 3 pointers which is still the most ever in a playoff game.
2019 WCSFs: KD goes down with a chance to win this series they lose in Game 6. Steph Curry explodes in the 2nd half with 33 points after scoring none in the first half.
2021 ECSFs: plague with hamstring injury and other injuries. He was inconsistent and wasn’t himself against the Bucks. Was pedestrian despite being their only facilitator.
2022 ESCFs: Up until Game 4 James Harden was held to under 30 points for 13 consecutive playoff games. Had 31 points against the Heat. Game 6 in the first half had score 11 points. Second half different story he only attempted 2 shots and no points as the 76ers fall to the Heat.
2023 ESCFs: Game 1 he had 45 points against the Celtics, hitting his patented step back travel 3 over Al Horford to secure the victory for the 76ers. Game 2 and 3 he struggled and disappear agains. Game 4 has a bounce back game scores 42 points hitting a game deciding 3 pointer to put the 76ers ahead. Marcus Smart got his shot off too late to win the game for Boston. Game 6 and 7 he disappeared again. Game 7 shot 4-16 and the 76ers fail to make any shots over the course of the next 6 minutes until garbage time.
2024: First Round: Game 1, Game 2, and 4 James Harden was terrific for the Clippers putting 28 points in Game 1, Game 2 he put 22 in a loss and Game 4 he had 33. Game 3, Game 5, and Game 6 he was abysmal. First half of Game 3 he started off strong but was flat in the second half of that game finishing with 21 points. Game 5 both Harden and PG shot terrible for a combine of 6-25 from the field and committed seven turnovers. Russell Westbrook was just as worse in the loss. Game 6 Paul George and James Harden struggle again shooting 11-34 from the field, as the Clippers were sent home.