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James Harden of the LA Clippers attempts to escape the defensive pressure from the Pistons' Dennis Schröder. Photo by Nicholai Roska for Tangent Zine
As Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, sat courtside with Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, All-Star guard James Harden, who had been struggling in recent games, found his rhythm and erupted for 50 points, leading the LA Clippers to a 123-115 victory over the Detroit Pistons.
The Clippers had dropped three consecutive games and six of their last seven on the road following their collapse against Phoenix on Tuesday. This made Harden's vintage performance particularly timely, especially with Kawhi Leonard, Derrick Jones Jr., and Norman Powell sidelined due to injuries.
Harden scored 23 of his points in the first quarter, making it the fourth instance this season where he scored 20 points or more in a single quarter. Harden showcased nearly all his signature moves, drawing fouls on several 3-point attempts in the first quarter. He successfully made 6 out of 13 three-point shots. Avoiding midrange shots, he matched his season-high with eight field goals in the paint.
Bogdan Bogdanovic contributed 23 points and Ivica Zubac scored 22 points along with 11 rebounds for the Clippers, who were playing on the second night of consecutive games.
Clippers center Ivica Zubac takes a shot over the Pistons' Isaiah Stewart during their matchup at the Intuit Dome on March 5, 2025. Photo by Nicholai Roska for Tangent Zine.
Cade Cunningham scored 37 points and contributed 10 assists for the Pistons, who experienced only their second loss in 12 games. They are set to visit Golden State on Saturday, March 8.
Even with the victory, the Clippers remain in 8th place in the Western Conference standings and are set to host New York on Friday, March 7th. The game begins at 7:30 PST.
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