James Harden makes history with stunning 55-point performance against Hornets

He may now be in the twilight of his career, but James Harden remains one of the most effective players in the NBA at his best. On Saturday night, he showed the Charlotte Hornets what he can do.

Now aged 36, Harden’s still producing at an incredible level and has become the clear leader of a struggling Clippers team. He led them to victory with a virtuoso performance on Saturday, breaking a team record in the process.

Harden’s performance in the Clippers’ visit to Charlotte was spectacular: 55 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal and only 2 turnovers in 35 minutes, with a +22 plus/minus. He had 35 points by halftime and finished with elite efficiency across the board: 17 of 26 from the field, 10 of 16 from three and 11 of 14 from the free-throw line.

It’s the fifth time in his career he has made at least 10 threes, a list topped by Stephen Curry with 27. Harden now has 3,237 career three-pointers, solidifying his spot as the second-most prolific three-point shooter ever behind Curry. Even without championships or Finals appearances, he remains a one-of-one player.

It was also the 25th game of his career with at least 50 points. That ties Kobe Bryant, who reached that mark in his final NBA game with 60 points against the Jazz, and trails only Michael Jordan with 31 and the untouchable Wilt Chamberlain.

The Clippers’ win against the Hornets snapped a three-game skid and a run of nine losses in ten games. Even with Harden pushing his scoring average close to 30 per game, the reality is hard to hide: the project in LA looks broken and outdated. The league’s oldest roster feels more like a collection of aging stars than a true contender and no amount of spin can hide the chaos around Steve Ballmer and Kawhi Leonard.

On Saturday Harden set a new single-game franchise scoring record and became the first player in NBA history to score at least 55 points with two different teams after once dropping 61 with the Rockets. The Clippers led by as many as 24 points against a Hornets team in even worse shape and reportedly weighing a trade for LaMelo Ball, who finished with 18 points and 7 assists.

The only other notable moment was Chris Paul’s appearance, putting up 3 points, 4 rebounds and 8 assists. He returned to Charlotte to take on the Hornets, the team where he began his career, just hours after announcing his decision to retire at the end of the season.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment.Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.