Harden shares what's driving the team's turnaround after a 112-104 victory over the crosstown rival Lakers.
The Los Angeles Clippers have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA over the past month, and James Harden believes they are just getting started.
After Thursday night's 112-104 victory over the crosstown rival Los Angeles Lakers at Intuit Dome, Harden made it clear that confidence was never the issue for this group even when things looked bleak early in the season.
"The feeling has always been there. We can continue to grow as a team," Harden said after recording 18 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists against the Lakers.
Clippers Surge Up Western Conference Standings
The win marked the Clippers' 14th victory in their last 17 games since mid-December, a stretch that has completely changed the outlook for a team that started the season with a brutal 6-21 record.
The Clippers now sit at 20-24 overall and have climbed into playoff contention in the Western Conference after it looked like all hope was lost just a few weeks ago.
The Lakers came into the game with a 26-16 record but fell to 5-6 in their last 11 games after Thursday's loss.
The Clippers led by as many as 26 points before Los Angeles made a late push that made things interesting down the stretch, but Harden and his teammates did just enough to hold on for the victory.
Harden's All-Star Campaign Gains Momentum
The 36-year-old has already passed Shaquille O'Neal to move into ninth place on the NBA's all-time scoring list and remains a strong candidate for an All-Star selection with the game being held at Intuit Dome next month.
Kawhi Leonard returned from a three-game absence to score a team-high 24 points against the Lakers, extending his streak of 20-point games to a career-high 23 straight.
When Leonard is healthy and playing at this level alongside Harden, the Clippers look like a completely different team than the one that was buried near the bottom of the standings earlier in the year.
Team-First Approach Drives Success
The Clippers had seven players finish in double figures against the Lakers, with Ivica Zubac adding 18 points and 19 rebounds in what has become a trademark of their recent success.
When the scoring is spread around and the defense is locked in, this team has proven it can beat anyone in the Western Conference.
Harden and the Clippers will look to keep their strong run going on Sunday night when they host the Brooklyn Nets at 9:00 PM ET.