Harden's 28+8 dominated the first battle of the Shippers, showing off the Captain's connection + 6 signature three-pointers
On April 22, Beijing time, the NBA playoffs ushered in a Western matchup. The Clippers got off to a good start to the playoffs with a 109-97 home win over the Mavericks, leading the series 1-0.
The Clippers were able to win today, and Harden naturally contributed to it. In the whole game, Harden played a total of 39 minutes, 8 of 17 shots, including 6 of 11 three-pointers, 6 of 6 free throws, a total of 28 points, 2 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 blocks, and only 1 turnover in the whole game, with a plus/minus of +7!
In the first quarter of the game, Harden opened his outside scoring account, and at 45 degrees on the right side, Harden hit three three-pointers in a row, scoring 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting in a single quarter, while Harden also had 3 assists and two blocks, leading the Clippers to a 12-point net win over the Mavericks in a single quarter. In the second quarter, Harden hit his fourth three-pointer at 45 degrees on the right side, and at the same time made multiple fouls and hit free throws in the first quarter, leading the Clippers to extend their lead, leading the game to as many as 29 points.
It is worth mentioning that in addition to assisting Zubac today, Harden also completed the connection with Wei Shao many times. One of the balls, Harden threw the ball into the air after breaking through, Wei Shao completed the empty dunk, and then the two hit their chests and roared in celebration, this scene seems to make people see the scene of the two in the Thunder and the Rockets.
Heading into the second half, Harden's grip dropped, but he quickly hit his fifth three-pointer at 45 degrees on the left side. In the final quarter of the game, Harden provided consecutive assists to his teammates to help the team stabilize the situation. Although Harden's individual scoring did not continue in the entire second half, he still led the team to victory. However, at the critical moment in the final quarter, Harden still used free throws and three-pointers to punish the opponent.
According to the schedule, the Clippers will host the second round of the series against the Mavericks on April 24, and whether Harden can lead the Clippers to a 2-0 series lead?