- James Harden moved to 11th all-time in NBA scoring, surpassing Moses Malone with 27,416 points
- Clippers lost 101:103 at home to Oklahoma City in a tight contest
- Kawhi Leonard missed a potential game-winner in the final seconds
Key Takeaways:
James Harden is now very close to entering the top 10 scorers in NBA history after scoring 17 points in the LA Clippers’ 101:103 home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Beard surpassed Moses Malone to claim the 11th spot on the all-time list, now with 27,416 career points. He won’t be able to move higher this season, though, as 10th-placed Carmelo Anthony sits at 28,289.
Congrats James Harden 👏
With his 27,410th career point, James Harden surpassed Moses Malone for sole possession of 11th place on the @NBA's all-time points list.@CoorsLight | #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/KHsuFpQnM4
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) March 24, 2025
The game was a true showdown, with both teams entering on five-game winning streaks. Oklahoma were missing Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, but still managed to edge out the victory. Their leader, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, had an inefficient night, scoring 26 points on just 7-of-29 shooting from the field. Kawhi Leonard was the top scorer for the hosts with 25 points but missed a difficult shot at the end that could have given his team the win.
Both teams have plenty to fight for heading into the final stretch of the season. The Thunder leads the league with a 59-12 record and aims to stay ahead of Cleveland (57-14) in the race for home-court advantage. The Clippers sit eighth in the West at 40-31, but still have hopes of breaking into the top six, with Golden State (41-30) and Memphis (43-28) narrowly ahead.