Coming fresh off a three-game winning streak, the LA Clippers suffered a brutal loss to the 14th-place New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. The Clippers had no answer for Pelicans star Zion Williamson, who dropped a 22-point triple-double, although the Clippers' stars shined in a losing effort.
Despite the loss, the Clippers were led by star duo Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. Leonard had a game-high 29 points on 12-20 shooting, while Harden dropped 25 points and 17 assists.
Harden has been on a tear recently, showing glimpses of an older version of his 2017-18 NBA MVP season.
James Harden last five games:
30.4 PPG
5.2 RPG
11.0 APG
64.9% TS
Leads NBA in both PTS & AST in that span. pic.twitter.com/WMO742Kzfi
— StatMamba (@StatMamba) March 12, 2025
Over his last five games, Harden is averaging 30.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 11.0 assists with a 64.9 true-shooting percentage. The 35-year-old has become the oldest player in league history to average those numbers over a five-game span, surpassing NBA star LeBron James, who did it three times at age 33, per Stathead.
The Clippers are 3-2 in that five-game span, but they desperately need this version of Harden while co-star Norman Powell is sidelined due to injury.
LA Clippers guard James Harden (1)
Mar 9, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; LA Clippers guard James Harden (1) gestures against the Sacramento Kings in the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Harden is averaging 22.3 points, 8.7 assists, and 5.8 rebounds per game this season, cementing himself as a vital player in LA's system. In 2023-24, Harden had the worst statistical season in over a decade, but the 11-time All-Star has revived his career in year 16.
Despite the horrible loss on Tuesday night, Harden shined and proved he is capable of offensively leading the Clippers to the postseason.
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