James Harden Gives Kawhi Leonard And Paul George Flashbacks Of ‘Torching Them’ Following His 35 Point Night: “Seen It A Lot Being On The Opposing Team”

James Harden finally seems to be settled at his new home at the Los Angeles Clippers as he continues with his match-defining performances. The recent away game win against the Indiana Pacers was no exception as The Beard went 35-3-9 on the night. Alongside petrifying the opponents, his performance made two of his teammates, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, thankful for his inclusion.

Leonard in particular felt fortunate to witness the brilliance of James from up close. He stated,

“It was very entertaining. It was like I paid for some seats tonight. I’m happy to be on this side of him being hot.”

Kawhi expressed his gratitude, mentioning, “I’ve seen it a lot being on the opposing team. But tonight it was amazing to watch”.

Kawhi Leonard on James Harden tonight:

“It was very entertaining. It was like I paid for some seats tonight. I’m happy to be on this side of him being hot. I’ve seen it a lot being on the opposing team. But tonight it was amazing to watch.”

— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) December 19, 2023

PG did the same soon after the final buzzer as he declared, “That’s vintage”. 

“That’s James right there,” he highlighted before adding, “I remember those days of having to matchup against that”. 

The 33-year-old mentioned, “Once he gets going, he’s the best at creating space and creating off the dribble”. “Watching it on his side now, it’s fun to watch,” Paul stated after his team’s away victory.

Paul George on James Harden tonight:

“That’s vintage. That’s James right there. I remember those days of having to matchup against that. Once he gets going, he’s the best at creating space and creating off the dribble. Watching it on his side now, it’s fun to watch.”

— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) December 19, 2023

The duo together was no less than exceptional themselves as they combined for 55 points on the court. Featuring as forwards, George registered 27-3-4 on the night while Leonard went 28-2-1 to earn the triumph. With this, the Clippers climbed up the conference table to cement their spot at the 6th position with a 61.5% win percentage.

James Harden is coming into his own at the Los Angeles Clippers

Following the acquisition of Harden, the team went on a six-game losing streak. It took the roster an ample amount of time to stitch things together but they finally seem to have done so. The franchise is currently on an eight-game winning streak as they rise in the Western Conference as a potent force.

James had a major role to play in that as he himself candidly shared his thoughts on “figuring it out”. “We’re coming together. Our chemistry is building game by game,” the 34-year-old mentioned. “We still have a long way to go, but we’re definitely headed in the right direction,” the 2018 MVP added.

James Harden: “We’re figuring it out. We’re coming together. Our chemistry is building game by game. We still have a long way to go, but we’re definitely headed in the right direction.”

— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) December 19, 2023

On an individual level, the focus and dedication of the 10x All-Star seemed to have improved too. He even recently addressed his doubters publicly, showcasing his faith in his qualities openly. Harden shared a post of himself with the caption, “First they love you, then…nvm,” to display his current state of mind.

first they Love you, then… nvm #Uno pic.twitter.com/Ysz0GO00Lh

— James Harden (@JHarden13) December 19, 2023

Everything around this scenario has been panning out positively for the Clippers star. After months of dramatic events in the offseason, James finally seems to have found a good fit for himself. As the organization continues to go past the obstacles, the fans patiently wait for his next chapter with the team.