Harden sparked a comeback, leading the Clippers to an overtime victory.
The Los Angeles Clippers came into Friday's matchup against the Toronto Raptors on a four-game winning streak and looking to keep their hot run going after a rough 6-21 start to the season.
With Kawhi Leonard sidelined due to an ankle injury, the Clippers needed others to step up and that's exactly what happened as they pulled off a 121-117 overtime win against the Raptors at Scotiabank Arena.
Toronto entered the game at 25-17 and took double-digit leads in the second and third quarters, but the Clippers refused to go away.
Down 11 heading into the fourth, Los Angeles put together a 31-20 fourth quarter run to force overtime and then closed it out in the extra period to move to 18-23.
Lue Praises Harden's Leadership
After the game, head coach Ty Lue made sure to credit James Harden for his influence on the team's performance, especially down the stretch.
"He's huge. We wanted him off the ball to start, not to wear him down. He played a whole game the way he needed, drew fouls, got clutch buckets, and held up defensively. You've got to love that about him," Lue said.
James Harden led the charge with 31 points and 10 assists while scoring eight of his points in overtime when it mattered most.
The veteran is averaging 25.8 points this season and has been the engine for this team, but the young bench players also stepped up in a big way.
Miller and Christie Shine Off the Bench
The real story was Jordan Miller and Cam Christie off the bench.
Miller played 46 minutes and finished with 19 points, six assists, and four steals while posting a team-high plus-20, and Christie added 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting with five rebounds.
Lue also credited TyTy Washington Jr., who chipped in three points and two assists in 10 solid minutes.
Both Miller and Christie are second-round picks from back-to-back drafts, and injuries have opened the door for them to see real playing time.
Miller has been on a tear over the last five games while averaging 14.8 points.
Staying on Pace for Lue's Goal
The win keeps the Clippers on pace for a goal Lue set back in late December when they sat at 6-21.
Lue challenged his squad to finish 35-20 the rest of the way to reach a .500 record.
Since then, the Clippers have gone 12-2 and sit in the 10th seed with playoff hopes very much alive.
The bench depth that has emerged could be key to keeping this run going.