Shouldn t break up! Chalmos talks about Paul s showdown. If the Rockets don t change Westbrook, Harden will have the championship in hand

The Clippers' prospects for the championship in the new season are exciting, especially on the basis of the three cores of Harden, Leonard and Zubac, the team has made targeted reinforcements. If the "yin and yang contract" storm that Leonard had previously been involved in can be properly resolved, the Clippers' overall competitiveness will be further improved. First of all, the Clippers introduced players such as Collins, Bills, Paul and Lopez through trading and signing during the offseason, significantly enhancing the depth of the lineup. These reinforcements not only make up for the team's long-term shortcomings in the No. 4 position, but also solve the problem of Harden's lack of qualified substitutes.

In the shooting guard position, Powell was replaced by Bill and his offensive firepower was upgraded; and the arrival of Lopez ensured that after Zubac left the court, the team still had excellent frame protection and space center in the interior. For Harden and Paul, the new season's teaming may be their last chance to hit the championship in their careers. Looking back on the past cooperation between the two, the "Light Bulb Combination" (Harden and Paul) of the 2017-18 season was infinitely close to the championship during the Houston Rockets. At that time, the Rockets led the Universe 3-2 in the Western Conference Finals, but ultimately failed due to Paul's hamstring strain and the team's overall bad luck.

This defeat became a turning point in their careers and also added footnotes to their "tragic" label. Harden and Paul's careers always seem to be plagued by "accidents at critical moments." Paul always misses success in the playoffs due to injuries or other accidents. For example, in 2021, the Suns reached the finals, but Paul declined due to injury, and the team was reversed by the Bucks; after the Suns introduced Durant in 2023, Paul was absent again due to injury, and the team lost to the Nuggets.

Harden's experience was also bumpy: during the Rockets, Howard was injured in the Western Conference Finals, and Beverly and Motieyunas were reimbursed; Paul was strained in 2018; after joining the Nets, Harden left the court with a hamstring injury only a few seconds after playing in the semi-finals against the Bucks; during the Philadelphia 76ers, a second-degree hamstring strain plagued him for a long time; in the first year of coming to the Clippers, Leonard was "reimbursed" in the playoffs again. Whether the two fight alone or join forces, it is always difficult for them to get rid of the shadow of injuries and luck.

Former NBA players Macharmos and Shampoo recently discussed the reunion between Harden and Paul on the All In show. They agreed that the "Light Bulb Combo" is one of the worst-luck duos in NBA history.

Chalmos said: "The collaboration between Harden and Paul is always full of expectations, but every time it reaches a critical moment, there will always be accidents. This reorganization in the Clippers is their best chance to prove themselves."

Shambert mentioned that Paul has accepted the role of substitute, which shows that he is willing to make sacrifices for victory. The two agreed that the Clippers' current lineup configuration and depth give them the potential to win the championship, but this may be Harden and Paul's last chance.

Reviewing the decision to go back in the 19-year offseason may be the biggest turning point in Harden and Paul's careers. At that time, Durant's Achilles tendon ruptured, the "Cosmic Brave" dynasty was shaking, but the Rockets chose to use Paul to add two first-round picks and two swap rights deals to Westbrook. This deal not only disrupted the Rockets' championship pace, but also caused the team to lose their draft assets in the next few years. If the Rockets did not make this deal, but instead retained the backcourt combination of Harden and Paul, supplemented by the starting lineup of House, Tucker and Capela, as well as substitutes such as Gordon and Rivers Jr., the Rockets' championship window could last for several years.

Facts have proved that Paul has a second spring after trading to the Thunder, leading the young Thunder to seven games in the first round of the 2020 playoffs, almost eliminating his old club. In order to open up space for Westbrook, the Rockets replaced Capela with Covington, and used Tucker, who was only 1.96 meters tall, resulting in the inside being completely destroyed by the Lakers Davis. In the 2020 playoffs, the Rockets' mentality collapsed, and the combination of Harden and Westbrook failed to replicate the chemistry of the "light bulb combination". If the Rockets had maintained their original lineup, perhaps Harden and Paul had already joined forces to win the championship trophy.

The Clippers have significantly improved their lineup depth and flexibility in the new season. There is no need to say about the outside offensive firepower of Harden and Leonard, while Zubac provides stable defense and finishing ability at the basket. Bill's arrival makes the Clippers' shooting guard position even more deadly, and his three-point shooting and singles ability will share the offensive pressure for Harden. The addition of Collins and Lopez of the Big Big has made up for the shortcomings in the Clippers' inside line, especially Lopez of the Big Big Big Big Big Big Big Big Big Big Big Big Big Big Big Big Big Big Big Box, which can not only provide frame protection, but also open up space on the offensive end, creating more opportunities for Harden and Leonard's breakthrough. As a substitute point guard, Paul will control the team's rhythm when Harden leaves the court. His experience and organizational ability will greatly improve the stability of the Clippers' second lineup, which depends on whether Light Bulb 2.0 can seize the opportunity.