<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/spurs-news-victor-wembanyama-surpasses-stephen-curry-james-harden-unreal-3-point-feat');   ga('set', 'title', 'Victor Wembanyama surpasses Stephen Curry, James Harden with 3-point feat');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Victor-Wembanyama-surpasses-Stephen-Curry-James-Harden-Ray-Allen-with-unreal-3-point-feat.jpg"></figure><h1>Victor Wembanyama surpasses Stephen Curry, James Harden with 3-point feat</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-22T07:02:47-08:00">December 22nd, 7:02am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-22T07:02:47-08:00">December 22nd, 7:02am</time><address><a href="https://medium.com/bingeable">Sonny Giuliano</a>Sonny Giuliano is an experienced sports writer for ClutchPoints who has been covering the NFL, NCAA Football, NBA, and NCAA Basketball for well over a decade. Originally from the small town of Elba, New York, Sonny received his degree from Florida Gulf Coast University and currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>San Antonio Spurs superstar center <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/spurs-news-victor-wembanyama-makes-nba-history-bonkers-performance-vs-hawks">Victor Wembanyama isn’t a stranger to making NBA history</a>. Sure, the 20-year-old French phenom is just 94 games into his NBA career, but he’s already <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/spurs-news-victor-wembanyama-replicates-wild-tim-duncan-rookie-record-amid-dpoy-bid">cracked the NBA record book on numerous occasions</a>. Take for example, on Saturday night, when in a 114-94 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers, Wembanyama became the only player in league history to have 10 blocks and 4 three-pointers made in the same game.</p><p>But for a moment, let’s zoom out and evaluate the spectacular play of Victor Wembanyama not just on Saturday night, but over the course of what has so far been a sensational 94 game career. And let’s look at what the future face of the NBA has accomplished from three-point range in comparison to the three most prolific long-range shooters ever.</p><p>Per San Antonio Spurs PR specialist Jordan Howenstine, Wembanyama made his 200th career three-pointer on Saturday night, <a href="https://x.com/AirlessJordan/status/1870669538653876390" rel="noopener">reaching that mark faster</a> than Stephen Curry (who did so in 99 career games), James Harden (153 career games) and Ray Allen (131 career games). Curry, Harden and Allen currently top the list of the most three-pointers made in NBA history.</p><p>Now, it <i>is </i>important to consider context in an exercise like this one. Part of this has to do with Wemby having the green light right away to launch triples at an historic pace in a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-lebron-james-complains-about-3s-in-nba">three-point happy NBA</a>. Wemby is shooting nine threes per game so far this season. Ray Allen never shot that many three’s in a single season, reaching a career high in attempts of 8.4 per game in his 10th year in the league. It took Curry until his 7th season to shoot more than 9 three-pointers per game, and Harden until his 8th season.</p><p>With that said, it’s unlikely that Wembanyama will see a dip in his attempts any time soon, especially if he continues to improve from three-point range. After hitting just under 33 percent of his three’s during his unprecedented rookie season, Wemby is up to 35 percent this year, and he’s hit 40 percent of his triples in his last 15 games after a slow start to the season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Victor Wembanyama surpasses Stephen Curry, James Harden with 3-point feat

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mavericks-news-jason-kidd-james-harden-clippers');   ga('set', 'title', 'Mavericks’ Jason Kidd issues James Harden reality before Clippers rematch');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Jason-Kidd-James-Harden-article.jpg"></figure><h1>Mavericks’ Jason Kidd issues James Harden reality before Clippers rematch</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-21T04:04:49-08:00">December 21st, 4:04am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-21T04:04:49-08:00">December 21st, 4:04am</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joey.mistretta/" rel="facebook">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter, Dallas Wings beat reporter and lead MLB editor for ClutchPoints. He is originally from Lake Arrowhead, California. Mistretta graduated from Biola University with a degree in broadcast journalism.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Dallas Mavericks</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>DALLAS — The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mavericks-news-klay-thompson-clippers-luka-doncic-kyrie-irving">Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Dallas Mavericks</a> 118-95 on Thursday night. LA ended up having three players score 21 or more points, with James Harden playing a big role in the Clippers’ scoring attack. Harden scored 24 points and recorded seven assists, while Norman Powell led LA with 29 points and Ivica Zubac added 21. Mavs head coach Jason Kidd <a href="https://x.com/JoeyMistretta_/status/1870200864612184158" rel="noopener">addressed the honest reality</a> of playing against a star like Harden at practice on Friday.</p><p>“Yeah, he’s good. Harden is one of the best in the league at being able to score and also set the table for his teammates,” Kidd said. “And he did that well last night. We gotta try to make it tougher on him.”</p><p>The Mavericks will host the Clippers once again on Saturday night in what projects to be an exciting rematch. Dallas played without Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving on Thursday, as the Mavs stars were out due to injuries. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mavericks-news-luka-doncic-out-kyrie-irving-in-for-clippers-rematch">Irving, who was dealing with right shoulder soreness, is expected to return</a> on Saturday night. However, Doncic, who continues to battle a left heel contusion, has been ruled out.</p><h2><b>Mavericks searching for defensive answers against James Harden, Clippers</b></h2><p>No, the Clippers do not have Paul George on the roster anymore, as he joined the Philadelphia 76ers during the offseason. Kawhi Leonard also remains out due to injury. Yet, LA features a more than capable offensive attack.</p><p>Harden controls the offense at an elite level. He is an extremely intelligent player, often making the right decision whether it is for himself or a teammate. Harden feels comfortable being aggressive on offense, but he is terrific at taking what the defensive gives him. If a defense makes him their primary focus, Harden will probably end up with more than 10 assists.</p><p>Harden demonstrated his balanced offensive game on Thursday. His 24 points and seven assists may not jump off the page, but he seemingly played a significant role on almost every Clippers’ offensive possession. With the Mavs having to focus on him, Norman Powell took advantage and finished just one point shy of 30 for the night.</p><p>Ivica Zubac causes no shortage of problems in the post. He can play as a roll-man to the basket, but he’s also capable of creating looks for himself in the post.</p><p>The Mavericks need an answer. Yes, Irving’s return will unquestionably provide an offensive boost. But Dallas must “make it tougher” on Harden, as Kidd said.</p><p>The Clippers and Mavericks will go head-to-head once again on Saturday night at 8:30 PM EST.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Mavericks’ Jason Kidd issues James Harden reality before Clippers rematch

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/clippers-news-james-harden-makes-nba-history-with-34-point-half-vs-jazz');   ga('set', 'title', 'James Harden makes NBA history with 34-point half vs. Jazz');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/James-Harden-makes-NBA-history-with-34-point-half-vs.-Jazz.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>James Harden makes NBA history with 34-point half vs. Jazz</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-17T10:06:59-08:00">December 17th, 10:06am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-17T10:06:59-08:00">December 17th, 10:06am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Clippers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>James Harden <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1869060067938680930" rel="noopener">delivered</a> a historic performance Monday night, exploding for 34 points in the first half as the Los Angeles Clippers cruised to a dominant 144-107 victory over the Utah Jazz, snapping their three-game losing streak in emphatic fashion.</p><p>Harden’s brilliance was on full display from the opening tip, as the 35-year-old guard orchestrated an offensive masterclass. His 34-point first half powered the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/clippers-news-ivica-zubac-hits-memorable-nba-milestone-amid-jazz-blowout">Clippers to a commanding 81-47 lead at the break</a>. According to Stathead, Harden became the first player since the NBA began tracking play-by-play data in 1996-97 to record seven or more three-pointers and 10 or more free throws in a single half. He shot 7-for-10 from beyond the arc and 11-for-13 from the free throw line in the opening two quarters, overwhelming a Jazz defense that had no answers.</p><h2><b>James Harden’s historic night fuels Clippers’ win over Jazz</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/James-Harden-1-is-defended-by-Utah-Jazz-guard-Collin-Sexton-2.jpg"><figcaption>© Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Harden continued to shine in the second half, finishing the game with 41 points, six assists, one rebound, one steal, and one block. He shot an efficient 11-for-17 from the field overall, 7-for-12 from three-point range, and 12-for-14 from the free throw line, capping off one of the most impressive scoring performances of the season.</p><p>Norman Powell added another key boost for Los Angeles, finishing with 29 points, four rebounds, one assist, and a steal. Powell shot 12-for-16 from the field, consistently attacking the Utah defense and providing a reliable secondary scoring option.</p><p>The Clippers delivered one of their most efficient offensive performances of the season, shooting 59.8% from the field and 53.8% from three-point range. Los Angeles connected on 21 three-pointers as a team and capitalized on Utah’s mistakes, scoring 34 points off 23 Jazz turnovers.</p><p>The Jazz, who dropped to 5-20 on the season, struggled on both ends of the court. Jordan Clarkson led Utah with 20 points, but the team’s carelessness with the ball and inability to defend the perimeter left them trailing early and unable to recover.</p><p>With the victory, the Clippers improved to 15-12 and gained momentum ahead of a challenging road trip. Los Angeles will face the Dallas Mavericks (17-9) in back-to-back games starting Thursday before wrapping up the stretch against the Memphis Grizzlies (18-9) on Monday.</p><p>Moreover, Harden’s record-breaking night, paired with Powell’s strong performance, underscored the Clippers’ offensive potential as they look to continue climbing the Western Conference standings.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

James Harden makes NBA history with 34-point half vs. Jazz

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/rockets-news-ime-udoka-reveals-message-james-harden-turning-down-reunion');   ga('set', 'title', 'Rockets’ Ime Udoka reveals message to James Harden while turning down reunion');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Rockets-news-Ime-Udoka-reveals-message-to-James-Harden-while-turning-down-reunion.jpg"></figure><h1>Rockets’ Ime Udoka reveals message to James Harden while turning down reunion</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-15T20:07:04-08:00">December 15th, 8:07pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-15T20:07:04-08:00">December 15th, 8:07pm</time><address><a>Dylan Fine</a>Dylan Fine focuses on the NFL and NCAA Football for ClutchPoints, in addition to working on the meme team. Dylan is a graduate of Georgetown University and has covered various topics ranging from local politics in the DMV region with DC Voter For Animals to live sporting events in the Long Island and Rochester areas with The Southampton Press and Pickin’Splinters. When he isn't working, he's usually running in preparation for the next annual Turkey Trot.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka’s reason for turning down a reunion with star point guard James Harden has just been revealed. Two seasons after three straight years as one of the worst teams in the NBA, the Rockets are back near the top of the Western Conference. Houston is currently the No. 3 seed with an electrifying young core. This culture reset started with the 2023 offseason that included the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/rockets-news-fred-vanvleet-free-agency-3-year-130-million-contract">additions of point guard Fred VanVleet</a> and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/rockets-news-dillon-brooks-free-agency-4-year-80-million-contract">small forward Dillon Brooks</a>.</p><p>Both VanVleet and Brooks have been essential to Houston’s emphasis on the defensive side of the floor. The two have also greatly influenced young talents like Amen Thompson and Tari Eason. The Rockets, however, almost signed James Harden during the offseason of 2023. Udoka, the incoming coach at the time, turned that idea down. Sam Amick, a Senior NBA Writer for The Athletic, explained Udoka’s message to Harden which <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5990739/2024/12/13/ime-udoka-rockets-nba-defense/" rel="noopener">shut down that potential reunion</a>.</p><p>“There was great respect for Harden and his game, but it wasn’t the right fit. If the plan was to build a defensive juggernaut with a balanced offense — and it was — then adding a ball-dominant, all-time great who never has been known for defense wasn’t the way to go. ‘My main thing for us was what fits best with our young guys to continue to grow?’ Udoka said. ‘But also, out of respect for James, (I told him), You’re at the stage where you want to win, and we’re not there yet. And it wasn’t just James.'”</p><h2><b>Houston’s physicality has been a problem for the rest of the league</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Rockets-Tari-Eason-and-Amen-Thompson.jpg"><figcaption>Bill Streicher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Houston has shifted into one of the most physically imposing teams in the league since Udoka has taken over. The team has lived by the motto that Udoka <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5990739/2024/12/13/ime-udoka-rockets-nba-defense/" rel="noopener">explains as</a> “no friends on the floor.” The Rockets are second in defensive rating this year and first in rebounding rate. Houston additionally ranks in the top five in points allowed in the paint. The shift in mentality and culture has ultimately been clear since Udoka walked into the building.</p><p>The Rockets currently have the 13th-oldest roster in the NBA. Despite this stat, most of this team’s best players are very inexperienced. Six of Houston’s eight leading scorers are 23 or younger. This includes Alpheren Sengun, who should make his first All-Star team this season. The Turkish star is averaging a double-double for the first time in his career, proving to be one of the best young stars in the NBA.</p><p>Going forward, Houston will be primed to compete in the West with the team it lost to in the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-news-fans-notice-disrespectful-rockets-thunder-description-on-league-pass-before-nba-cup-game">In-Season Tournament. The Oklahoma City Thunder</a> is the other young juggernaut in the conference that the Rockets must overcome. The Rockets have built the necessary defensive identity to make a deep run in the playoffs. However, Houston’s young stars must also evolve on the offensive end to take the next step and become a top contender.</p><p>Overall, James Harden wasn’t the right fit for Houston at that time. The star point guard has been a stellar addition to the Los Angeles Clippers over the past two years. But Ime Udoka had a vision, and so far, he has executed it to near perfection.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Rockets’ Ime Udoka reveals message to James Harden while turning down reunion

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/clippers-news-james-hardens-restaurant-appears-on-wrongful-death-lawsuit');   ga('set', 'title', 'James Harden’s restaurant appears on wrongful death lawsuit');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/James-Hardens-restaurant-appears-on-wrongful-death-lawsuit.jpg"></figure><h1>James Harden’s restaurant appears on wrongful death lawsuit</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-11T20:31:48-08:00">December 11th, 8:31pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-11T20:31:48-08:00">December 11th, 8:31pm</time><address><a>Nathan Yasis</a>Nathan Yasis is an Associate Editor for ClutchPoints, specializing in the NBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Clippers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>A Houston, Texas, restaurant owned by Los Angeles Clippers star and former Houston Rocket James Harden has been named in a wrongful death lawsuit filed earlier this week.</p><p>Cassaundra Jackson, the mother of Taylar Jackson, <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/james-hardens-restaurant-named-in-wrongful-death-lawsuit-for-allegedly-overserving-customer-before-car-crash/" rel="noopener">one of the seven victims</a> of the November 2023 fatal crash, has filed a lawsuit against Harden’s restaurant “Thirteen,” alleging it failed in its legal duty to stop serving alcohol to an “obnoxiously intoxicated person,” according to court documents. Filed on Monday in Harris County District Court, the lawsuit claims the restaurant overserved Christian Daniel Herrera, contributing to the tragic accident. Jackson is seeking more than $1 million in damages.</p><h2><b>Houston police report</b></h2><p>Houston police reported that Herrera was driving a black Chrysler 300 southbound on Fannin at high speed when he ran a red light at Pierce and collided with a black Acura SUV.</p><p>According to authorities, three occupants of the SUV were ejected upon impact, and the Chrysler veered off the road, striking a pedestrian on the sidewalk.</p><p>Four individuals, including both drivers, were pronounced dead at the scene. Three others succumbed to their injuries later. Police noted that one man survived the tragic incident.</p><p>Authorities identified Lauren Robinson-Holliday, 32, as the driver of the SUV. She was pronounced dead at the scene.</p><p>Frank Johnson, 31, was named by police as the pedestrian struck by the car. He also died at the scene.</p><p>Seven lives were tragically lost in a collision at the intersection of Fannin Street and Pierce Street at approximately 2 a.m. on November 11, 2023. The victims included former University of Houston <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/raiders-news-dj-hayden-tragically-dies-car-crash-33">football players D.J. Hayden</a>, Zachary McMillian, and Ralph Oragwu. Hayden, 33, had notably spent nine seasons in the NFL.</p><p>The lawsuit further claims that the restaurant staff neglected to monitor and document the number of drinks provided to an individual patron, among other alleged oversights.</p><p>Herrera consumed alcohol to the point of severe intoxication, resulting in a blood alcohol concentration of 0.139.</p><h2><b>James Harden’s company’s response</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/James-Harden-playing-for-the-Clippers.jpg"><figcaption>Matt Krohn-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Jackson’s attorney informed the media that they preferred not to discuss the crash on camera, opting to let the legal process unfold in court.</p><p>In response, James <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/rockets-news-james-hardens-houston-restaurant-opening-in-january-amid-trade-rumors">Harden’s company and restaurant</a> that opened three years ago released the following statement, “We cannot imagine what the family of Taylar Jackson has gone through this past year and offer our deepest sympathies to them and everyone whose lives were deeply impacted by that tragic accident. We were just made aware of the filing of this lawsuit. We ask for your patience as we gather more information on this filing and will make a more formal statement as soon as possible.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

James Harden’s restaurant appears on wrongful death lawsuit

LeBron James

Stephen Curry

Kevin Durant

Russell Westbrook

James Harden

Kyrie Irving

Chris Paul

Carmelo Anthony

Damian Lillard

Giannis Antetokounmpo

2x Scoring Champ

2016-17 AST Champ

6x All-NBA

8x All Star

10x All Star

3x Scoring Champ

7x All-NBA

9x All Star

NBA 75th Anniv. Team

2017-18 MVP

2011-12 Sixth Man

2009-10 All-Rookie

2x AST Champ

Oklahoma City Thunder

Houston Rockets

Brooklyn Nets

Philadelphia 76ers

Los Angeles Clippers

1 season

3 seasons

Career

2 seasons

8 seasons

https://twitter.com/JHarden13/status/1776483474989629892/

https://twitter.com/JHarden13/status/1776118743879553397/

https://twitter.com/JHarden13/status/1770165373704302734/

this just how it happen shit look planned out a lil #Uno 

https://twitter.com/JHarden13/status/1766635210752553150/

https://twitter.com/JHarden13/status/1765603260751118528/

You know how I’m coming about the H, forever indebted. Back to the crib though! #Uno 

https://twitter.com/JHarden13/status/1635118612913729540/

vol. 7 sneakers with the shoe strings, they try recreate the way we do things. #Uno 

https://twitter.com/JHarden13/status/1633121618145984512/

https://twitter.com/JHarden13/status/1630650594385092608/

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
22.0	6.5	8.1	0.6	1.5

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
22.0	6.5	8.1	0.6	1.5

James
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