In a homecoming game for his fellow future Hall of Famer teammate Chris Paul, who signaled his intention to retire at the end of the season, Harden has put on a show for the fans in Charlotte. In the first quarter alone, Harden was 9-for-12 from the field and 5-for-7 from three-point range, scoring 27 points.

James Harden set a new Clippers single-game scoring record while tying Kobe Bryant for the third-most 50-point games in league history.