James Harden achieved a significant NBA milestone by scoring his 25,000th career point and leading the way with 28 points, 15 assists, and seven rebounds in the Los Angeles Clippers’ victory over the Golden State Warriors, 121-113. This win marked the Clippers’ sixth consecutive victory, with Kawhi Leonard contributing 27 points and eight rebounds.
“Doesn’t matter if I got two points or (28) tonight, winning is the key,” Harden said. “The stats and everything — I’ve done a lot of different things, accomplished a lot of different individual stats. For me, it’s about winning, about building chemistry, about continuing to get better, and I think tonight was another step forward for us as a unit.”
The Clippers, even without Paul George due to an injury, secured their 11th win in the last 14 games, thanks in part to Norman Powell’s 21 points, 10 of which came in the crucial fourth quarter. This game also saw Los Angeles maintain their unbeaten home record in December.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: James Harden, Los Angeles Clippers, Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors Updates
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue praised Harden’s performance, highlighting his increased responsibility in George’s absence. Harden, fitting in seamlessly with the Clippers, emphasized the importance of winning and team chemistry over individual statistics.
“That’s what James does,” Lue said. “PG was out tonight, so (Harden) raised his level of play. Having the ball more, he had to create more and make more plays for himself and his teammates. That’s what we brought him here for, and it was a huge game from him.”
Klay Thompson led the Warriors with a season-high 30 points, including eight 3-pointers. However, the Warriors’ struggles continued, as they lost all three games on their road trip and 12 out of their last 16 games. The team is also dealing with Draymond Green’s indefinite suspension following an incident with Phoenix’s Jusuf Nurkic.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: James Harden, Los Angeles Clippers, Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors Updates
Stephen Curry scored 17 points in a challenging game for the Warriors, who are adjusting to Green’s absence. Thompson expressed his support for Green and his anticipation of his return.
“It was tough, because Draymond is a huge part of what we do, and we’re going to miss him dearly,” Thompson said. “We know he’s going to come back even better, a changed person. I’ll miss him just as a friend and a brother. Love him to death, and I can’t wait until he comes back. Obviously there’s a big hole on our team right now, but we’re going to do the best we can in his absence and keep playing our hardest.”
Golden State coach Steve Kerr and Stephen Curry spoke about the necessity of addressing Green’s recent conduct issues, with Curry expressing confidence in Green’s ability to overcome these challenges.
“He can’t do what he’s been doing, and he knows that,” Curry said. “We know that. Everybody knows that. What needs to change, I think that’s the search for the answer. That’s the journey that we’re on now. … Everybody has their mountains to climb, and Draymond’s are his, and I’m confident that he can get over the hump, however long it takes for him to get there.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: James Harden, Los Angeles Clippers, Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors Updates
Both teams had to adjust their starting lineups due to key players missing. Golden State promoted Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski, while Amir Coffey started in place of George for the Clippers. Podziemski scored four points in his first career start, and Kuminga added 15 points in his second start of the season.
For Golden State, Chris Paul scored 12 points against his former team, but the Warriors’ road woes continued with their seventh consecutive away loss. Paul also received a Flagrant Foul 1 for a two-hand shove on Daniel Theis. Despite Paul’s 32-footer at the end of the third quarter cutting the Clippers’ lead, the Warriors could not sustain their momentum in the fourth quarter.
Looking ahead, the Warriors will host the Brooklyn Nets, while the Clippers will play the New York Knicks at home.
