The shorthanded Los Angeles Clippers have been a pleasant surprise this NBA season. Despite playing without Kawhi Leonard, who is rehabbing a knee injury, James Harden and company have jumped out to an 11-8 record and are firmly in the playoff picture in the loaded Western Conference.

The Clippers are seeking yet another win on Wednesday night on the road against the Washington Wizards, and Harden is having one of his best nights of the season. The longtime superstar went off in the first quarter, pouring in 23 points on 9-for-11 shooting and 5-for-7 from 3-point range over the opening 12 minutes.

As Harden continued to light up the nation's capital, fans all over social media were going crazy and having flashbacks to his prime.

“Harden came out like it was 2018 all over again 🤯🔥 23 points in the 1st? Vintage is an understatement!” one fan posted on X, formerly Twitter. Another fan wrote, “James Harden is having an elite age 35 season, don't even care for the shooting percentages.”

Harden looked just like his old self during the heater, knocking down five triples including a couple of vintage stepbacks that will take fans back to his days with the Rockets.

Related Los Angeles Clippers NewsArticle continues below
Featured image Nic Batum
Clippers’ Nicolas Batum reveals upcoming retirement plan
Galactus with an arrow pointing at Jeff Van Gundy with Marvel Studios Fantastic Four: First Steps logo behind them.
Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Galactus first look gets wild Jeff Van Gundy comparison

Harden would add eight more points in the second quarter to make it a 31 point half, which is the most points that he has scored in a half since he left the Rockets. Harden's highest-scoring 24 minutes in four years have given the Clippers a 61-44 lead heading into the break.

Harden has raise the floor of this Clippers squad, which doesn't have quite the same talent as some of the other teams in the Western Conference. Until Leonard is able to return, the Clippers are relying on Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac to do a lot more scoring than they are used to, but it's working.

It's currently unclear when Leonard may be able to return, but this version of Harden paired with one of the best two-way wings in the league is a scary proposition for the rest of the NBA. If the Clippers can hang around in the standings until Leonard comes back, he and Harden could be a dangerous duo come playoff time.