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Amid Kawhi Leonard’s absence due to injury, the Los Angeles Clippers have relied heavily on James Harden this season. During the Clippers’ matchup against the Washington Wizards on Thanksgiving-eve, Harden set a career milestone, surpassing the late Kobe Bryant, as per StatMamba.
James Harden dropped 31 points during the first half of the Clippers’ 121-96 win against the Wizards, surpassing Kobe Bryant for the most 30+ point halves in NBA history. By halftime, he was shooting 73 percent from the field and 70 percent from the three-point line. 23 of those 31 points came in the first half as the Clippers got off to a strong start.
Harden finished the game with 43 points, four rebounds, seven assists and three steals. He shot 13-of-22 from the field, 7-of-11 from the three-point line and 10-of-11 from the free-throw line. Behind Harden’s masterclass, the Clippers improved to 12-8 while the Wizards fell to 2-15.
Harden is in his second season with the Clippers after being acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers early in the 2023-24 season. Harden re-signed with the Clippers in free agency during the offseason on a tw0-year, $70 million contract.
With Leonard sidelined indefinitely, the Clippers have used Harden’s play combined with a stifling defense to stay afloat and be a competitive team.
Coming into Wednesday’s game against Washington, Harden had appeared in all 19 games for the Clippers to that point at a little over 34 minutes per game. He had been averaging 20.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 1.5 steals with splits of 37.2 percent shooting from the field, 32 percent shooting from the field and 88.8 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
Although Harden’s shooting efficiency is low, the stats don’t tell the entire story. His presence on the court and defensive attention he draws has opened things up for his teammates. The 16-year veteran has handled point guard duties for the Clippers and has done a solid job.
