The chips may be down (or flat-out missing in the LA Clippers’ case), but nothing can stop James Harden from turning back the clock, whenever he feels like it, to remind the league exactly why ‘The Beard’ must still be feared.
Harden delivered a vintage masterpiece on Friday night, powering the Los Angeles Clippers to a dramatic 133–127 double-overtime win over the Dallas Mavericks, and rewriting franchise and NBA history along the way.
With Kawhi Leonard still sidelined due to ankle and foot injuries, the Clippers desperately needed someone to drag them out of a six-game skid.
Harden answered the call with one of the finest all-around performances of his career, playing a gruelling 50 minutes and finishing with 41 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists:
the 82nd triple-double of his career.
James Harden tallies the first 40-point triple-double in @LAClippers franchise history!
🤩 41 PTS
🤩 14 REB
🤩 11 ASTLAC moves to 2-0 in @emirates NBA Cup West Group B! pic.twitter.com/plGLwls0FC
— NBA (@NBA) November 15, 2025
It wasn’t just a big night. It was a record-setting one.
Harden became the first player in Clippers history (across 56 seasons) to record a 40-point triple-double. And he is now the oldest player in NBA history to pull off the feat at 36 years and 81 days, surpassing none other than Larry Bird.
Oldest NBA Players To Record A 40-Point Triple-Double
- James Harden – 36y, 81d
- Larry Bird – 35y, 99d
- Elgin Baylor – 34y, 48d
- LeBron James – 33y, 97d
- LeBron James – 33y, 79d
It also marked the 17th 40-point triple-double of Harden’s career, trailing only Oscar Robertson for the most in NBA history.
Harden The Lone Star
The game itself was a gritty battle between two struggling teams in NBA Cup play, but Harden controlled the tempo from start to finish.
Whether hitting stepbacks, hunting mismatches, or creating for teammates, he was the best player on the floor — and the Clippers needed every last bit of it.
The win lifts Los Angeles to 4–8 overall and 2–0 in NBA Cup action, but the bigger storyline is the workload.
With Leonard out and Bradley Beal done for the season, Harden has become the Clippers’ lone true shot creator, and he’s carrying the team like it’s 2018 again.
Harden may no longer be the perennial MVP candidate he once was, but Friday proved he remains a singular offensive force. But if the Clippers want to avoid burning out their 36-year-old star in November, their injured pillars may need to return sooner rather than later.
