Boom 41+14+11! We couldn t guard Harden, Russell expressed frustration, and Kidd also made it clear.

The Mavericks and the Clippers battled. In overtime, the Clippers relied on veteran Harden's dominant performance to win a thrilling 133-127. The 6-point difference could not hide the embarrassment of the Mavericks being led by the nose throughout the game, and it also opened up the scars of this team that once gambled on the future - sending away Luka Doncic in exchange for thick eyebrows and the unofficial [Flag], but now they have to put Irving and thick eyebrows on the shelves and completely rebuild. This "rookies pecking each other" contest, on the surface, the two teams are fighting each other. The Clippers have 4 wins and 8 losses, and the Mavericks have 3 wins and 10 losses. In fact, it is a mirror that reflects the short-sightedness of the Mavericks' management.

The brightest star in the game is undoubtedly the 36-year-old Harden. Played 51 minutes, made 13 of 25 shots, 6 of 12 three-pointers, 9 of 11 free throws, scored 41 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists, plus 1 steal and 2 blocks, with a plus-minus of +12. This was no ordinary outburst, but a declaration of dominance by the old monster on the verge of physical exhaustion. In the last 3 minutes of overtime, Harden made sudden shots and free throws, scoring 6 points, directly extinguishing the Mavericks' hope of counterattack. Post-game technical statistics showed that only four members of the Clippers team scored in double figures. Harden alone carried the offensive banner, with an efficiency value of +38.7, a personal high this season.

On the Mavericks bench, the players bowed their heads and remained silent. Flagg, the young core who has high hopes as "Doncic's successor", scored 16 points on 8 of 13 shots, but made as many as 4 mistakes. He did not dare to play alone at critical moments. As fans ridiculed after the game: "Flag may never be able to touch Doncic's upper limit in his life."

Although these words are early, they hit the nail on the head. Doncic averaged 33.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 9.6 assists per game for the Lakers this season, shooting 47% from the field. Doncic, who was born in 1999, is only 26 years old and has not yet fully reached his peak (28-32 years old is the peak period according to the conventional calculation), but the Mavericks traded him for thick eyebrows and draft picks during last offseason on the grounds that "Doncic's defense is too poor."

What about now? With thick eyebrows in danger of injury, Irving seriously injured, and Flagg young, Dallas can only watch as the old players kill everyone in the Lakers. After the game, Mavericks defender Russell was surrounded by reporters at the door of the locker room. When it came to defending Harden at critical moments, he almost went crazy: "You have to stay disciplined. He has an element of surprise when attacking and can skillfully manipulate defenders. You need to study these and work hard to get better."

Before Russell finished speaking, the camera cut to coach Kidd, who spread his hands. , said helplessly: "You have to raise your hands, but Harden is the best player at causing fouls. He understands what he needs to do, and he can always find the shooting opportunities he wants. This is the difference between great players and ordinary players."

Kidd didn't say it, but everyone could hear the implication - wasn't this the case when Doncic was playing for the Mavericks? That iconic step-back three-pointer, that "Golden Rooster Independent" fadeaway, and that millimeter-accurate foul-making turn have made many opponents despair. The 26-year-old Doncic is at the peak of his skills and physical fitness, while the 36-year-old Harden can still beat his old owner with a triple-double in 51 minutes. What did the Mavericks management want in the first place? Tu Nongmei’s “real-time combat power” for a season? Tuflag’s “unlimited potential”? Now the answer is right in front of us: there is nowhere to buy regret medicine.

When the Mavericks were preparing to sell Big Eyebrow and Irving, as soon as the news came out, Dallas fans were furious: "If you don't give up the cornerstone that can be used for 7-10 years, why send it to the Lakers?" Some fans even found out the management's speech during last year's transaction - "Doncic's upper limit has been reached and he needs to make way for the championship window." Now that the windows are not open, the roof has collapsed first.

Flagg's growth curve became the last straw for the Lone Ranger. On the defensive end, he was singled out by Harden many times, couldn't keep up, and made frequent mistakes in judgment. Mavericks fans wailed on social media: "Flag can't even touch Doncic's shadow, let alone take over."

Of course, although the Clippers won, their record was only 4 wins and 8 losses, and they were still 11th in the Western Conference. Leonard continues to be absent and Bill is out for the season. The aircraft carrier is a broken ship again. Although Harden is brave, his 51 minutes of playing time also sounded the alarm. Coach Tyronn Lue said bluntly after the game: "We can't rely on James to play 50 minutes in every game. This is unsustainable." The Clippers management faces a dilemma: continue to drain Harden to compete for the playoffs, or trade Harden and Leonard for draft picks as early as possible?