Harden credits his teammates after a heroic overtime victory against the Toronto Raptors.
The Los Angeles Clippers were not expected to be in this position just a few weeks ago, but here they are rolling with a five-game winning streak after a tough 121-117 overtime win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night.
The victory was another example of how this team has completely turned things around since their brutal 6-21 start to the season.
Harden was the main reason the Clippers are celebrating this win, and his performance was nothing short of heroic.
He finished with 31 points and 10 assists while playing 42 minutes, taking over when it mattered most by scoring 16 of those points in the fourth quarter and overtime combined.
Harden Credits the Young Players
After the game, Harden made sure to give credit to the young players who stepped up alongside him in a game where the Clippers were missing star Kawhi Leonard due to a sprained right ankle.
"I can only help them — credit to them, they put the work in," Harden said.
That work was on full display against the Raptors (25-18), as the Clippers got major contributions from their supporting cast throughout the night.
Jordan Miller played a career-high 46 minutes off the bench and finished with 19 points and six assists, while Cam Christie added 16 points and Kobe Sanders chipped in 13 points in 37 minutes of action.
Sanders even hit a clutch free throw with seven seconds left to seal the final margin after Toronto had cut the lead to just one point.
A Heroic Comeback
The Clippers (18-23) trailed by as many as 14 points and were down 109-101 with just 3:35 left in regulation when Harden decided to take over the game by himself.
He scored eight straight points to force overtime and then made four free throws to open the extra period, putting the Clippers in control.
Ivica Zubac returned from his own ankle injury and delivered a strong double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds, helping the Clippers battle back from the early deficit.
The chemistry between Harden and the young core has been building throughout this recent stretch, and the veteran guard has embraced a mentorship role while still carrying the offensive load.
Over the team's current 12-2 run, the Clippers have leaned on their defense and found ways to close out tight games like this one.
Should Harden Be an All-Star?
With the way Harden has been playing this season, averaging 25.8 points and 8.1 assists per game, the question of whether he deserves an All-Star spot is becoming harder to ignore.
He recently passed Shaquille O'Neal for ninth on the NBA's all-time scoring list, and he has been the steadiest player on a roster dealing with injuries all season long.
The 36-year-old guard is playing some of his best basketball since his MVP days in Houston, and his ability to take over games in crunch time is exactly what All-Star voters tend to reward.
With the Clippers now winning 12 of their last 14 games and climbing into 10th place in the Western Conference, Harden has made a strong case for himself heading into All-Star Weekend at the Intuit Dome next month.
The Clippers next head to Washington on Monday to face the Wizards as they look to keep this winning streak alive.