In Thursday night’s game, James Harden reached a career milestone by scoring his 25,000th point while also contributing 28 points, 15 assists, and seven rebounds. Kawhi Leonard also had a strong game with 27 points and eight rebounds, helping the Los Angeles Clippers secure their sixth consecutive victory with a 121-113 win over the struggling Golden State Warriors. Norman Powell scored 10 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter to help the Clippers overcome the absence of injured player Paul George and improve to a 5-0 home record in December. Despite Klay Thompson’s season-high 30 points and eight 3-pointers, the Warriors went 0-3 on their road trip and have lost 12 of their last 16 games. Stephen Curry scored 17 points on 5-of-17 shooting while the Warriors began another stint without Draymond Green, who is indefinitely suspended for his recent aggressive behavior. Before the game, coach Steve Kerr expressed the team’s support for the suspension and for Green, who will receive help to address his behavior. George missed the game due to an injury, but coach Tyronn Lue does not believe it will be a long-term issue. Both teams had to adjust their starting lineups due to key absences. Harden’s milestone made him the 24th highest scorer in NBA history.
