James Harden stepped into Toyota Center on Wednesday night and reminded everyone why he owned this building for nearly a decade. The veteran guard torched his former team for 35 points, drilling seven three-pointers as the LA Clippers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 116-105 victory over the Houston Rockets.
It was vintage Beard — clinical, ruthless, and absolutely unstoppable when the mood struck.
Kawhi Leonard added 28 points on silky 11-of-18 shooting, helping the Clippers (24-18) climb back above .500 in a Western Conference where every game matters. But this was Harden’s show from the opening tip, and the 34-year-old delivered the kind of performance that makes you forget about Father Time.
The Reunion Nobody Asked For
Houston fans gave their former MVP a polite ovation during introductions — then watched him systematically dismantle their defense. Harden poured in 18 first-quarter points, hitting four triples to stake LA to an early 32-24 advantage that felt insurmountable by halftime.
“I’ve got nothing but love for this city and this organization,” he said afterward, but his step-back jumper suggested otherwise. “When I step between those lines, I’m trying to win basketball games for my current team.”
The seven made threes tied his season-high and marked just his third 35-point game this year. More importantly, it came when the Clippers desperately needed someone to step up after losing five of seven games entering the night.
Leonard Keeps Houston Honest
While Harden grabbed headlines, Leonard’s steady brilliance prevented any dramatic comeback attempts. The two-time Finals MVP recorded his 20th 25-point game this season, knocking down 4-of-7 from deep with the kind of effortless shooting stroke that makes defense optional.
Paul George chipped in 19 points and eight rebounds before fouling out with 3:42 left, but by then the damage was done. Russell Westbrook provided the exclamation point off the bench — a thunderous dunk that stretched LA’s lead to 108-91 and sent the Toyota Center crowd heading for the exits.
Rockets Fight But Can’t Match Firepower
Houston (19-23) got everything they could ask for from Alperen Sengun, who posted 22 points and 11 rebounds for his 15th double-double. The Turkish center has been their most reliable offensive weapon lately, averaging 21.8 points over his last 10 games while the young core continues developing around him.
Fred VanVleet added 18 points and seven assists in his first season back home, while Jabari Smith Jr. contributed 15 points on efficient 6-of-11 shooting. But 16 turnovers leading to 21 Clippers points told the real story — you can’t gift extra possessions to a team with this much talent and expect to survive.
“We competed, but we’ve got to be better taking care of the basketball,” coach Ime Udoka said. “You can’t give a team like that extra possessions and expect to win.”
Playoff Race Tightens
The victory pulled the Clippers within 2.5 games of sixth-seeded Phoenix in the ultra-competitive West. Sitting in ninth place with 40 games remaining, they’re showing flashes of the potential that made them preseason darlings when healthy — emphasis on when.
For Houston, this loss dropped them to 11th in the conference, 4.5 games behind the final play-in spot. They’ve won just three of their last 10, and the playoff math is getting ugly fast in Udoka’s second season at the helm.
LA shot a blistering 42.1% from three-point range (16-of-38), their best long-distance night in three weeks. They also won the turnover battle decisively while getting balanced scoring from their bench — Westbrook and Norman Powell combined for 21 points off the pine.
That depth will be crucial as they navigate the final stretch while managing Leonard’s minutes and keeping their aging core fresh for what they hope is a playoff run.
Next up: a Friday night date with Denver at home, where the Clippers will look to build momentum against the defending champions. For Houston, it’s back to the drawing board before Saturday’s matchup with Miami — another test against a veteran group that knows how to close out games.
