James Harden

Equipped, as always, with the recipe required to guide the L.A. Clippers' offense out of almost any rut, James Harden knows that unlocking a defense, fittingly, often only requires one thing: a one-on-one atop the key. Hunting down a potentially-profitable switch against Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Harden, in a predator-like crouched stance, works a between-the-leg size-up series, a gravitational dribble that pulls him noticeably closer to a favorite spot above the 3-point arc. Akin to a movie in which one already knows the ending, Harden — after creating the required space on his isolation — elevates into a trifecta, plus a foul, supplying Los Angeles with a three-point boost in the game’s final four minutes. Harden’s victory plans were foiled by slightly-superior crunchtime execution by the Minnesota Timberwolves, yet, even in defeat, history would be made by 2017-18’s Most Valuable Player. November 29, 2024 saw Harden collect 20 points, six rebounds, 11 assists, five steals, and three 3-pointers, affording him entry into an exclusive three-player club of legends to be top 20 on both NBA history’s points and assists leaderboards.