On January 2, Beijing time, the NBA regular season, the Nets hosted the Clippers. Although the Clippers could not play in this game with 9 players over 100 million players, they were not at all inferior on the court, and they kept clenching the point difference and completing the rebound in the final quarter. After a fierce battle between the two teams in the fourth quarter, the Nets eventually lost 116-120 at home to the Clippers, suffering two consecutive defeats.
The Nets' two biggest stars, Durant and Harden, played well again in this game. Durant had 28 points and nine rebounds, and Harden had another triple-double back-to-back, contributing 34 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists, with a personal efficiency of 30 team-highs. But the two failed to win the game for the team, so that the excellent performance also turned into an empty cut.
In this game, Harden set a new personal record of 9:
First, Harden scored 14 assists in this game, surpassing Baron Davis to 37th in the total number of assists in history;
Harden's 21st double-double of the season and the 5th in the league;
Harden's seventh triple-double this season, the league's second only to Westbrook, career 65th, ranked 7th in history;
Fourth, Harden made 22 shots in this game, surpassing the famous Dantley and Louis Hudson in the total number of career shots, ranking 64th in history;
Harden hit 9 shots in this game, and the total number of career hits exceeded 6709, surpassing Maddy to rank 84th in history;
Sixth, Harden hit 13 free throws in this game, surpassed Alphabet Brother and Embiid to reach the top of the free throw shooting list in the season, and regained the title of "one-point king";
Harden scored 15 free throws in this game, surpassed Shays in the total number of free throws in his career, ranking 22nd in history, and Harden made 55 free throws in the past 4 games;
Harden scored 30+ in four consecutive games, continuing his season record;
Harden is the first player in Nets history to score at least 30 points and 10 assists in four consecutive games.
Since Harden returned to the team after lifting the quarantine, his performance has been very explosive. He scored a triple-double with 36 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against the Lakers, a large quasi-triple-double with 39 points, 8 rebounds and 15 assists against the Clippers, and a triple-double of 33 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists against Philadelphia. Today he played well again, but the Nets did not win the game. Losing back-to-back losses to Philadelphia and the Clippers, maybe the Nets really need Irving.
In the first half of the game, Harden did not show too much offensive desire. He made just one of four shots in the first quarter, and the Clippers once took a double-digit lead with a brilliant start. But Durant stepped forward and used his personal ability to gradually smooth out the point difference. Harden's outside touch in the second quarter was still not open, and he had 3 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists on 1-of-6 shooting in the quarter. But the Nets still relied on the overall play, successfully led the Clippers 53-49 into the second half.
By the third quarter, Harden began to regain his touch. He scored consecutive three-pointers and scored 16 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists in a single quarter, gradually widening the point gap for the team and maintaining the lead. The Clippers didn't give up on the game and have been showing a tenacious stance, and they equalized the point difference at one point in the fourth quarter. In the final 23 seconds of the game, the Clippers scored five straight points to overtake the score and take a four-point lead. Harden grabbed a key frontcourt rebound in 11.4 seconds and walked to the free throw line on 2-of-2 free throws, Bledsoe made 1-of-2 free throws, and the Nets had a perfect chance. The Clippers used foul tactics to not give the Nets a three-point shot, and Durant made 1 of 2 free throws. Reggie hit 2-of-2 free throw line and the Clippers sealed the win. In the end, the Nets lost at home.
According to the schedule, the Nets' next game will be at home to the Grizzlies next Tuesday Beijing time.
(Text/Yuwen Basketball)