They returned home from a three-game trip in a mini-slump that left the Scissors looking for ways to break free from that malaise in which they lost all those games.
They left their home in Inglewood on a four-game winning streak, the Clippers feeling good about how they played.
But they lost their mojo and wanted it back.
They did on Sunday night, the Clippers defeating the Utah Jazz 116-105 at the Intuit Dome, and in the process they saw James Harden reach a career milestone.
With six minutes and nine seconds left in the first quarter, Harden drilled a three-pointer to break a tie with Ray Allen. for the second most in NBA history. Harden has now made 2,975 three-pointers over his 16-year career. He is behind the leader, Golden State’s Stephen Curry (3,782), who will be in town Monday night with the Warriors to face the Clippers.
Harden finished with 20 points, going two-for-eight from three-point range, to go along with 11 assists.
The Clippers also got a lift from the return of center Mo Bamba, who missed the first 13 games while recovering from a left knee injury. Bamba was solid in his return, scoring nine points and grabbing eight rebounds in 15 minutes.
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Ivica Zubac had a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds and Norman Powell had 19 points.
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue mostly wanted his team to stay the course while in their funk, but he also wanted his group to clean up some things.
Lue wanted a better effort on the backboards, which the Clippers did by collecting 41 rebounds to match Utah’s total.
Lue wanted his team to care about the basketball, which they did by turning the ball over just nine times.
It all led to the Clippers opening a 23-point lead and entering from there over a Jazz team with the worst record (3-10) in the Western Conference.
The Clippers saw their lead cut to seven points with 3:18 left in the fourth quarter after Jordan Clarkson made a three-pointer, but they held on for the win.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
