“[Harden is] another weapon for them,” Jalen Brunson said. “They have a lot of great players over there. Really impressive résumés and all that stuff, and their careers have been nothing short of spectacular. So, it’s a lot of firepower. We’ve just gotta be ready to go.”

“They were a great team before the trade,” Tom Thibodeau said. “Obviously, add another great player to the group, so that’s the challenge that you face every night. We know how good he is, he’s proven that throughout his career. But they’re a lot more than one guy, obviously. We’re going to have to be great for 48 minutes.”

“I’m not a system player, I’m a system,” Harden said after the trade. “If I have someone who can have a dialogue with me, make adjustments on the fly throughout the course of the game, that’s all I really care about. It’s not about having the basketball, or scoring 30, 40 points a night. I’ve done that already.”

RJ Barrett, who missed the last two games with knee soreness, practiced Sunday and coach Tom Thibodeau “would assume” his starting wing plays barring a setback.

“It was just some soreness that cropped up,” Thibodeau said. “He said he’s feeling a lot better.”

“He’s been great, had a great start to the season,” Jalen Brunson said. “He adds everything. He does it on both sides of the ball, and he has that mentality that he goes out there every night no matter what’s happening, he’s trying to win. So he’s a key for us.”

Nalod wrote:

Moonangie wrote:I hope this is the year that RJ cements his status as untouchable. Fwiw, right now the only one who has that status is Jalen.

its a nice thought and I'd agree to some extent.
But I'd trade Jalen and two protected firsts for Donovan Mitchell. Not a knock on Jalen or how fond I am of him. While that alone does not make us a contender its just business. Im sure as time goes on I will too might feel the same.
That RJ has been here so long I do hope he keeps ascending his play.
Im rather fond of this team. Even Randle. He is part of it.

I wouldn't. Brunson has thoroughly outplayed DM in the playoffs two straight years on the big stage. We need more guys like that, especially with Randle here who shrinks.

Not to mention JB is much cheaper the next 2 seasons.

we need RJ tonight. I agree he's getting more and more untouchable, mentioned earlier I'm not even sure I'd trade him for Lavine anymore.

tonights gonna be a tough game. Clips will be very tough when their stars all play. Hoping for a lot of Harden rustiness.

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