Since his return, the 34-year-old Leonard has turned back the clock and is playing some of the best basketball of his career, averaging 32.7 points, 6.9 boards, 3.8 assists, 2.6 steals, and one block in his last 13 games.
While Leonard is projected to be selected to this year’s All-Star team, the Clippers’ start to the season has made it difficult for two players to make the cut.
Harden has, however, still reached a major personal milestone during his team’s winning stretch. He surpassed Shaquille O’Neal on 12 January after a 32-point performance in a win against the Charlotte Hornets, to move into ninth on the NBA all-time scoring list.
Although the Clippers have struggled to find postseason success in recent years, this surge offers a glimmer of hope. The franchise was eliminated in the first round in both the 2024/25 and 2023/24 seasons. Their last deep run came in 2020/21 when they reached the Western Conference Finals, the closest the team has come to hanging its first NBA championship banner.
Harden has embraced the magnitude of playing in his hometown, Los Angeles. When asked about it, he told ESPN: “Being at home, that is like the opportunity of a lifetime for me. Just be able to hoop in front of my family, friends, people I grew up with, people that raised me. It is a different feeling.”
Harden has certainly been an anchor of his team, helping the Clippers rewrite the early narrative from the start of this season. They will have another test as the team travels to Toronto to face the Raptors on Friday, 16 January, at 7:30 pm EST.