James Harden is known for his scoring. A former MVP, the Los Angeles Clippers star is considered one of the best offensive players the league has seen in recent memory. However, throughout his career, Harden has had his fair share of funny moments as well. From his famous post-game interview walk-off to accidentally hitting himself with the ball and making Josh Hart a meme, Harden added to his hilarious montage on Thursday. This time, it involved Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone.
During the fourth quarter of the Clippers' Thursday clash against the Nuggets, Malone stormed the court to argue with the referees over what he perceived was a missed call. This led to the coach getting thrown out, and Harden himself joined in to eject Malone. (per Hoop Central)
James Harden when Michael Malone was ejected. 😂
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 5, 2024
The Clippers hold off the Nuggets on Thursday
The Clippers wound up taking the victory, but it didn't come easy. Despite Malone's ejection, LA had to hold off a late Denver rally to carve out a 102-100 win that went down to the final possession.
The start of the game wasn't pretty for the team in white as well. Courtesy of a fiery three-point barrage, the Nuggets led by 17 at one point during the first quarter. However, a huge second period brought the Clippers back in contention. Spearheaded by Harden's 14 second-quarter points, LA outscored the Nuggets 33-18 to take a four-point lead by halftime.
During the third quarter, the Clippers' lead swelled to 13. While the Nuggets trimmed it down to enter the fourth, another LA surge put the Clips up by 11 following Malone's ejection. Then came the Denver rally.
The Nuggets used an 18-8 run to cut the Clippers' lead to one, 98 – 97, with 1:46 remaining in the game. Four straight Ivica Zubac free throws then gave LA a five-point cushion, but Nikola Jokic would answer with a three to bring the lead back down to two.
The Clippers failed to extend the lead on two possessions and Denver had the ball with five seconds left. Jokic attempted a game-winning three at the buzzer but it missed, putting LA back in the win column.
Paul George led the way for the Clips with 28 points while Harden added 20 points, eight assists and six rebounds. Zubac also made his presence felt with a double-double of 14 points and 15 rebounds.
James Harden and the Clippers are playoff-bound
James Harden and the Clippers (48-28) are currently fourth in the Western Conference and have secured a playoff appearance this year. However, the standings aren't final yet. With six games to go, the team leads the fifth-seeded Dallas Mavericks (46-30) by just a .27 win percentage. While they'll still end up playing each other in the first round if the rankings are switched, it can be noted that the Phoenix Suns and the New Orleans Pelicans (45-31 each) aren't far behind. Simply speaking, the Clippers have to finish strong amid a tight Western Conference ladder.
And looking ahead, it won't be a walk in the park. Among the games in LA's home stretch are two outings against the Suns and another against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Nevertheless, a healthy Clippers team is one that can make noise. Coming from a horrid season start, LA's star-studded team found its groove along the way. Having Harden, George and Kawhi Leonard in the starting lineup is already a headache for opposing teams…now add Russell Westbrook and Norman Powell off the bench. On paper, the Clippers arguably have championship talent. All that remains to be seen is if the team can silence the doubters once and for all by claiming the franchise's first title.
Follow Us
Subscribe