On December 28th, Beijing time, in an NBA regular season game, the Clippers defeated the Warriors 102-92 to secure their second consecutive victory. This marks the third time this season that the Clippers have defeated the Warriors, extending their winning streak across seasons to six games. In this match, Stephen Curry, the core player of the Warriors, was rested. The Warriors led by 2 points in the first quarter, but the Clippers overtook them in the second quarter and extended their lead to 19 points by the end of the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, the Warriors managed to reduce the gap to 3 points at one point, but Harden's crucial attack and pass widened the margin again, followed by two successful free throws to seal the victory. The Clippers have now returned to the top six in the Western Conference standings, while the Warriors have fallen out of the top ten.
Before the game, Harden embraced John Hao, the Chinese student who is battling illness, once again. It seems that Harden had invited this Chinese student to watch the game, showcasing his warm-hearted nature.
In the opening moments, Harden blocked Hield's three-pointer and also made a successful breakthrough, scoring 2 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, and 1 block in the first quarter, despite the Clippers' poor offensive efficiency which left them trailing by 2 points.
In the second quarter, Harden provided an assist for Zubac's dunk and then hit a step-back three-pointer. In just 6 minutes, he scored 8 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist, helping the Clippers quickly take the lead. At halftime, Harden had 10 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, and 1 block from 3-of-7 shooting, including 2-of-4 from beyond the arc, demonstrating his consistency.
The Clippers' official account paid tribute to Harden with a photo in the third quarter. In this period, Harden went 2-for-6 from the field and 0-for-4 from three-point range, scoring 4 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, and 1 steal. After three quarters, Harden had accumulated 14 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block. The Clippers dominated the quarter with a 32-19 run and already had six players scoring in double figures.
In the final quarter, while Harden was resting, the Warriors reduced the deficit to 10 points. Upon Harden's return, the Clippers continued to make mistakes, allowing the Warriors to go on a 16-4 run and level the game. However, the Warriors' momentum was halted when they were down by only 3 points, as Harden made a critical drive and then assisted Jones with an alley-oop dunk to extend the lead back to 8 points, forcing a timeout from the Warriors. Powell's successful counter-attack sealed the game's outcome. Harden played a total of 38 minutes, shooting 6-of-14 from the field and 2-of-8 from the free-throw line, finishing with 18 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block.
In this game, six Clippers players scored in double figures, while only two Warriors did so. Kuminga, coming off the bench, had a career night with 34 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. Following this match, the Warriors have a record of 15 wins and 15 losses. Due to their head-to-head record against the Suns, the Warriors have fallen out of the top ten in the Western Conference, missing even the play-in tournament. Curry, dressed casually, could be seen shaking his head on the sidelines.
Written by Yan Xiaobai: A Tribute to Harden