INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — The points continue to come for James Harden, who became the 20th player in NBA history to reach 26,000 points in his career in the Los Angeles Clippers’ 125-119 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night. Harden was more worried about the points the Clippers have been giving up, having squandered double-digit leads in both games of a back-to-back.
Los Angeles led by as many as 21 on Thursday, following a wasted 10-point advantage in a 106-105 defeat to Portland the night before . “It’s definitely frustrating, just ’cause we was up double digits in both games,” Harden said. “Last night, we didn’t (play well) and we still had a double-digit lead.
Tonight, we played well, especially in that first half and up 20-something. Like, it’s there. We just got to find ways to not lose it and continue to play our brand of basketball.
” Harden joined the elusive group when he made his second free throw with 1:25 remaining in the fourth quarter. It came in his first triple double of the season and 78th of his career, tying Wilt Chamberlain for seventh in NBA history, as Harden finished with 25 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists. Harden also had six turnovers, including fumbling the ball away when the score was tied at 105 with 5:20 remaining.
Phoenix ended up turning that mistake into a 3-pointer from Devin Booker and a lead it would not relinquish. “You’ve seen the usage rate I got, it’s going to happen,” Harden said. “Like, turnovers .