The Clippers have struggled since acquiring James Harden, losing six consecutive games after the deal was announced. That skid ended Friday night, as the Clippers outlasted the visiting Rockets, 106–100, for Harden’s first win with Los Angeles.
Fittingly, it was Harden who hit the winning shot over his former team. With the game tied at 100 and less than 10 seconds on the clock, Harden drained a step-back three-pointer to give the Clippers a lead they would not surrender. The veteran guard also was fouled on the play, and he made the free throw to boost Los Angeles’s lead to four.
Kawhi Leonard tacked on two late free throws to account for the final score, but Harden’s feat was the pivotal moment.
