James Harden continues to solidify his place among the elite in win against Wizards

James Harden delivered a vintage performance in Wednesday night's victory against the Washington Wizards, reminding fans of his exceptional skills.

The LA Clippers defeated the Wizards 121-96, and Harden was the main reason why the Clippers cruised to a relatively easy victory. Delivering one of his best performances in recent memory, Harden finished with 43 points, four rebounds, seven assists and three steals. 

This was Harden’s best scoring performance in a Clippers uniform, and he entered the record books with this performance, joining Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan as the only players with over 100 40-point games in the NBA’s history. He had already surpassed the likes of Allen Iverson, LeBron James, Oscar Robertson, Kevin Durant and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Harden has been asked to carry a more significant load on offense for the Clippers this season. Following Wednesday’s outing, he’s averaging 21.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 1.6 steals per game across 20 appearances. That’s a marked improvement compared to 2023-24, and finishing the season with double-digit points and assists might not be a stretch for him.

After Wednesday’s showing, it’s clear that Harden still has it. And if he brings his game on a consistent basis throughout the regular season, then the Clippers could turn more than a few heads as the campaign advances.