Clippers star James Harden's blunt message to Ty Lue amid tiring 49-minute duty
02/14/2025 02:27 AM
James Harden, a man who has been criticized for his lack of effort in the past, was not looking to coast into NBA All-Star Weekend. He wanted the Los Angeles Clippers to go into the break with some momentum and good vibes. The future Hall of Famer tried with all his might to make sure that happened in Thursday’s road game versus the Utah Jazz, shouldering the workload of someone much younger.
In the end, Harden and the Clippers were rewarded. The 35-year-old scored 32 points on 8-of-19 shooting while also totaling 10 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and two blocks in a 120-116 overtime win over the Jazz. He played a staggering 49 minutes, one night after registering 35 minutes, to help LA emerge victorious in its third consecutive game. The scrappy squad is now 31-23 and stays in sixth place in the West heading into the All-Star festivities.
Harden’s iron-man performance ensured that the Minnesota Timberwolves would not leap past the Clippers in the conference standings. He was not merely doing what was asked of him, either. The 2018 MVP urged head coach Tyronn Lue to keep him on the floor.
“I told T Lue don’t take me out of the game, that this is a must-win for us,” Harden said after the hard-fought matchup. “Seriously, because we need to go into this break with some swagger. He listened and we won the game. Just trying to do whatever it takes to win games.”
"I told T Lue don't take me out of the game."
– James Harden after playing 49 minutes in the Clippers OT win pic.twitter.com/z8Qnv5kOs2
— NBA (@NBA) February 14, 2025
James Harden gave his all for Clippers
Those strong words will give Clippers fans the burst of energy they need to stay amped up until regular season play resumes next Thursday. James Harden left an indelible imprint in the Delta Center, impacting the action on offense and defense. He made key 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to cut a nine-point deficit and briefly put his team on top, while Norman Powell closed things out in OT by living on the free throw line.
Utah played above its 13-41 record and made Los Angeles earn this one in Salt Lake City. Powell, who many believe should be heading to San Francisco for All-Star 2025 (either with or instead of Harden), carved up the Jazz for a game-high 41 points. He shot 50 percent from the field and logged 46 minutes himself. Ben Simmons produced an efficient 12 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals in what was a successful Clippers debut.
Lue is once again guiding this franchise to better results than most people anticipated, showing why he is considered one of the top head coaches in the league today. LA relies on a collective effort to stay in the mix in the Western Conference, but Harden’s presence is especially important.
LA continues to trust Harden
Kawhi Leonard is just starting to ramp up his minutes and did not play in this second game of a back-to-back, which leaves The Beard as the lone established star Lue can turn to on a consistent basis. The shooting numbers are not pretty– 39.3 field goal percentage– but Harden pushes the pace on offense and is a reason why both Powell and Ivica Zubac are enjoying career campaigns.
He is averaging 21.3 points, 8.6 dimes, 5.7 boards and 1.5 steals through 50 games and will represent the Clippers in the inaugural NBA All-Star Game tournament on Sunday.
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