Overwhelm James and rival Curry!

It is a proud day for the Clippers. They had suffered three consecutive defeats before. In the away game against the Charlotte Hornets, they relied on Harden's god-like performance to securely win 131-116. Not only did they end their own decline, but they also sent their opponents into the quagmire of five consecutive losses. In this game, Harden carried the team forward by himself. His offensive firepower penetrated the entire court and he was able to stabilize the situation at critical moments. The 36-year-old played the best performance of his career and broke a bunch of records in the NBA's 79-year history. The fans shouted "outrageous".

At the beginning of the game, the Hornets took advantage of their home court advantage to play smoothly. They launched an 18-10 offensive, which messed up the Clippers' defense. Just when the team was about to fall into passivity, Harden stepped forward and directly turned on the "scoring machine" mode. First, he scored a 3+1 against the defense and scored 4 points to stabilize the morale of the army. Then he felt completely open. He hit two three-pointers and a layup in 57 seconds. He scored 7 points in one breath and recovered the point difference in an instant. This is not over yet. In the last 2 minutes and 44 seconds of the first quarter, Harden was simply helpless. All the team's offense was ended by him. No matter how the Hornets changed defenders, he would either break through for a layup or hit a three-pointer. During this period, he alone scored all 12 points of the team.

After the first quarter, Harden made 9 of 12 shots, including 5 of 7 three-pointers, and scored 27 points. Not only did he tie the Clippers' single-quarter scoring record in history, but he also set the league's highest score in a single quarter this season. Under his leadership, the Clippers went from being behind to leading by 8 points, ending the first quarter 38-30, firmly controlling the rhythm of the game in their own hands.

In the second quarter, Harden was replaced by the coach to take a rest, hoping that he would save some energy. But as soon as Harden left, the Hornets seized the opportunity to launch a counterattack, especially Knuupel's touch. He scored 18 points in a single quarter, leading the Hornets to chase points and once narrowed the point difference to only 5 points. Seeing that the previous advantage was about to disappear, the coach quickly replaced Harden back. Harden, who had just debuted, didn't feel unfamiliar at all. He first succeeded in a layup with an air cut, and then made a steady hit from outside the three-point line, scoring 5 points in a row, suddenly opening up the lead and re-stabilizing the situation. After that, the two sides alternately scored, but the Clippers never allowed their opponents to take the lead, maintaining a 5-point lead at 62-57 at halftime. Harden played less than 20 minutes in the first half and already scored 35 points, which was frighteningly efficient.

In the third quarter, Harden continued his hot touch in the first half and hit a three-pointer. He also attracted the attention of two Hornets defensive players and passed the ball to his teammates in the open, helping the team to score consecutively and soon widening the point difference to double digits. But the Hornets were not a soft persimmon. They were unwilling to admit defeat and launched a 12-3 offensive climax, forcing the point difference to only 2 points. The home fans at the scene were excited. At this critical moment, the Clippers suddenly launched a 9-0 counterattack, and Harden once again became the key man. Facing the Hornets' double team, he did not hesitate to take a three-pointer. Not only did he hit it, but he also caused a foul on the opponent, making the score 3+1. This goal completely ignited the morale of the Clippers team and brought the Hornets' point-chasing momentum to an abrupt end. After three quarters, the Clippers led 96-82 by 14 points, and the balance of victory has clearly tilted towards the Clippers.

In the final quarter of the game, the Clippers pursued the victory. After the substitute players came on, they continued to maintain the offensive and soon expanded their lead to more than 20 points. With 7 minutes left in the game, Harden reappeared. At this time, he already had more than 40 points in hand and was only a few steps away from the 50-point mark. The Hornets players wanted to guard him at the last moment to prevent him from breaking the record, but Harden didn't give him a chance at all. First he made two free throws and then hit two consecutive three-pointers, directly breaking the 50-point mark. After that, he took advantage of a fast break opportunity to score a layup, and finally set his personal score at 55 points.

As Harden completely killed the suspense of the game, both sides replaced substitute players, and the game entered garbage time early. In the end, the score was fixed at 131-116. The Clippers won steadily and ended their three-game losing streak.

In this game, Harden played 35 minutes, making 17 of 26 shots, 10 of 16 three-pointers, and 11 of 14 free throws. In addition to 55 points, he also contributed 3 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 steal. His plus-minus value was as high as +22. It was a complete offensive and defensive performance. Other Clippers players also performed well under his leadership. Zubac scored 18 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists, supporting the sky inside; Collins contributed 10 points and 7 rebounds, which was very strong on the defensive end; Sanders and Lopez each scored 11 points, becoming important firepower points on the outside; Batum also scored 9 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals, making a great contribution on the defensive end.

It is worth mentioning that although veteran Paul has a mediocre touch and only scored 3 points on 1 of 5 shots, he sent 8 assists and 4 rebounds. His role in connecting the team is still obvious. When he is on the court, the Clippers' offensive rhythm is very smooth. The team's overall shooting rate reached 51%, and the three-point shooting rate was also 44%. The more blossoming performance also reduced Harden's offensive pressure a lot.

And Harden's 55-point performance set a bunch of valuable records. First of all, these 55 points set a new single-game scoring record in the history of the Clippers and became the scoring leader in team history. Secondly, this is the 12th time in his career that he has scored 55+ in a single game, second only to Chamberlain's 72 times in NBA history. You must know that the three superstars James, Curry and Durant only have 10 times combined. Harden alone exceeds the sum of the three of them.

In addition, at the age of 36 years and 89 days, Harden became the third oldest player in NBA history to score at least 10 three-pointers in a single game. At the same time, he and Curry are also the only two players in the history of the league who can score 10 three-pointers and 55 points in a single game after the age of 36. Curry previously scored 56 points with 12 three-pointers in a single game at the age of 36 years and 350 days.. Also, in the past five games, Harden has averaged 38.4 points, 7 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game. His three shooting percentages have reached 47%, 45%, and 88% respectively, and his true shooting percentage is as high as 68%. He has also become the second player in NBA history after James to reach 35 years old and average at least 35+7+7 in 5 consecutive games.

What’s even more amazing is that Harden scored a total of 192 points in these five games, averaging 38.4 points per game, breaking the previous record held by James of players aged 36 and above averaging 38.0 points per game in five consecutive games (a total of 190 points), surpassing James to become the new record holder. It is worth mentioning that the last time Harden scored 55+ in a single game dates back to November 30, 2019. At that time, he was still playing for the Rockets and scored 60 points against the Hawks. After so many years, it is really amazing that he can still perform like this at the age of 36.

This victory is too crucial for the Clippers. It not only ended the three-game losing streak, but also allowed the team to regain confidence. In the past, the team's status was ups and downs and the record was not ideal, but Harden used this battle to tell everyone that he is still the league's top superstar and can still carry the team on his own. The current Clippers have a hot core like Harden, reliable inside helpers like Zubac and Collins, and experienced veterans like Paul. The overall strength of the team cannot be underestimated.

The series of records Harden set in this game also enhanced his historical status again. At the age of 36, it should be a time when many players are declining, but Harden has reached another peak in his career. This kind of performance that gets better and better as he gets older is really admirable. He proved with practical actions that as long as he maintains his condition and his fighting spirit, age is not a problem.

For Clippers fans, this game is definitely the most enjoyable one so far this season. Watching the team they support end their losing streak, and watching Harden set records again and again, the feeling is indescribable. In the following season, I believe that under the leadership of Harden, the Clippers will perform better and move towards higher goals. And Harden's 55+10 three-pointer battle will surely become a classic battle in NBA history and will be remembered by fans for a long time.