James Harden Makes NBA History in Clippers vs Trail Blazers

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The Los Angeles Clippers hosted the Portland Trail Blazers on the final night of NBA Cup qualifying games at the Intuit Dome tonight. While the Clippers may no longer qualify to advance NBA Cup, James Harden made sure to put on a show for the fans tonight and made some history along the way.
Late in the third quarter, Harden hit a signature stepback to cement himself in the history books. With his 26,396 career points, James Harden surpassed John Havlicek for sole possession of 18th place on the NBA’s all-time points list.
James Harden moves into 18th all-time on the NBA scoring list with this step-back 3 🎯
— NBA (@NBA) December 4, 2024
🏆 POR-LAC | West Group A
🏆 #EmiratesNBACup on NBA League Pass
🏆 https://t.co/uxfKSjvqvb pic.twitter.com/RKtGwA7Cyv
Harden, however, wasn't done making a name for himself. In pure James Harden form, he sunk a buzzer-beater three at the end of the 3rd quarter to put him up to 17th all-time in points, surpassing the Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce.
James Harden beats the 3rd quarter buzzer and makes NBA history.
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) December 4, 2024
He’s now 17th all-time in points, passing Paul Pierce. pic.twitter.com/y8aLz3UzEd
In the absence of Kawhi Leonard and the departure of Paul George, James Harden has stepped up to be a leader and the superstar that the Clippers needed. In 22 games this season Harden has averaged 22.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 8.9 assists, and 1.7 steals per game on 39/35/90 shooting splits.
When Harden arrived in LA, he was met with his fair share of critics who claimed he wasn't a productive player or one that could contribute to a contending team. Harden has done more than enough to show his critics he still has a lot left in the tank.
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14-Year NBA Veteran covering multiple teams on Sports Illustrated. Throughout the years, Farbod has been featured on ESPN, Bleacher Report, Forbes, and various live television outlets.
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