On December 31st, Beijing time, the Clippers made a comeback against the Pelicans with a score of 116-113, securing their third consecutive win. Harden had a high efficiency in this game, but unfortunately, he had more turnovers. In the final quarter, while Harden was on the bench, Powell exploded and led the team to overtake. After Harden returned, he controlled the rhythm, making four crucial free throws and committing a decisive foul, ultimately leading the Clippers to victory. Powell scored 35 points, while Harden had 27 points, 4 assists, and 6 turnovers.
The Pelicans also employed the Box One defense strategy against Harden, with Murphy following him throughout the game, from the backcourt, sticking to Harden. It's worth noting that Murphy stands at 2.03 meters tall with a wingspan of 2.16 meters, which proves that Harden is a top superstar in the league. Previously, when the Clippers faced the Warriors, Kerr also used the Box One strategy to defend against Harden.
Despite the tough circumstances, Harden was still able to score, breaking through the double-team for a 2+1 in the first quarter. He shot 6 for 3, 4 for 2 from three-point range, and 2 for 2 from the free-throw line, scoring 10 points and 1 rebound. In the second quarter, after resting for 6 minutes, Harden's shooting dropped, going 0 for 2 and only getting 2 assists, ending the half with 10 points and 2 assists.
In the second half, Harden hit a difficult step-back three-pointer against Dejounte Murray, followed by another three-pointer from the corner off a pass from Dunn, which forced the Pelicans to call a timeout. Apart from his higher number of turnovers, there were no major issues with Harden's performance. The Clippers' overall defense was not great, but Harden drew fouls and made both free throws. He also attracted a double-team on a drive and assisted Porter with a three-pointer to reduce the gap to 4 points. Harden took a pull-up three-pointer, but Porter missed an open layup. In the third quarter, Harden went 3 for 4 from three-point range, scoring 13 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, and 1 steal, ending the quarter with 23 points and 6 turnovers.
In the final quarter, Harden rested for 6 minutes before returning to the court. He missed a mid-range shot, but Powell hit a three-pointer to take the lead. The Pelicans then went on a 4-0 run to tie the game. Dunn committed a turnover, and Murphy drew a foul. Harden attempted a forced shot but nearly turned it over, missing the shot. The Pelicans missed twice, and Murray fouled Harden by pulling his jersey. Willie Green challenged the call unsuccessfully. With 17.9 seconds left, Harden made two crucial free throws. Harden then fouled Mickey, who missed his second free throw, violating the rule of not touching the rim. The referee reviewed the play and ruled it as a jump ball, which originally would have given the Clippers possession of the rebound, but it was changed to a jump ball. Zubac tipped it out, and Harden was fouled, sealing the game with two free throws.
In the entire game, Harden played 36 minutes, shooting 6 for 14, 5 for 10 from three-point range, and 10 for 12 from the free-throw line, scoring 27 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, and 6 turnovers, with a shooting percentage of 42.9% and a three-point percentage of 50%. Powell scored 35 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in the entire game, while Zubac had 20 points, 16 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block.
Written by Yan Xiaobai: A tribute to Harden
