On December 27, Beijing time, the Clippers played against the Hornets at home, and Leonard was absent again, which made people full of expectations for the Clippers' performance. In this high-profile game, Harden showed a dominant performance, leading the Clippers to a 113-104 victory over the Hornets to secure the fourth spot in the West.
In the first quarter of the game, the Hornets frequently hit shots and once took the lead. However, Harden stepped up and hit two three-pointers in the early stages of the game to lead the Clippers to quickly overtake the score. Wei Shao and George also contributed one after another, but the Hornets showed tenacity and kept chasing the score. At the end of the first quarter, the Clippers led by just one point at 26-27.
After halftime, Harden was still in hot form, constantly hitting three-pointers, leading the team to gradually widen the difference. The Hornets fought back, but Harden's continued outbursts kept them from catching up. At halftime, the Clippers led 55-50.
In the third quarter of the game, the Hornets adopted the strategy of containing Harden and took the lead at one point. However, once Harden got on the court, his excellent passing and shooting skills took the lead again, helping the Clippers maintain their lead. At the end of the third quarter, the Clippers led 82-80.
Entering the final quarter, Harden returned to the court after a short break, but the Hornets quickly overtook the score. Harden stepped up again and hit a key three-pointer, and Willis also made a key shot to ensure the Clippers regained the tempo of the game. In the end, the Clippers defeated the Hornets 113-104 and successfully took the fourth place in the West.
In the whole game, Harden slashed 29 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists, showing a dominant individual ability. Westbrook and George contributed 8 and 9 points respectively to support the team's victory. As for the Hornets, Hayward, Bridges and Richards also performed well, but in the end they couldn't fight back.
The victory allowed the Clippers to secure the fourth place in the West, and responded positively to their recent sluggish performance. Harden's strong play became the focus of the whole court, and fans were full of expectations for his performance in the Clippers.
The result of this game also made the battle for fourth place in the West more intense, with teams competing fiercely for playoff qualification. For the Hornets, although the record is not good, their fighting spirit is impressive.
In the next game, the Clippers will continue to face a strong opponent, and it will be interesting to see if Harden can continue his hot form and become a key factor in the team's victory. Fans will continue to keep an eye on this strong team and look forward to better results in their upcoming matches.