Clippers center Ivica Zubac, right, shoots as Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers guard Amir Coffey, right, shoots as Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, left, and Clippers guard Terance Mann reach for a rebound during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers guard Kevin Porter Jr., right, shoots as Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers guard Norman Powell, right, shoots as Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
A fan cheers as a shot by Clippers guard Amir Coffey goes in during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers guard Kevin Porter Jr. dunks during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers guard Kevin Porter Jr. celebrates after scoring during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers guard Kevin Porter Jr., left, shoots as Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers guard Kris Dunn gestures after scoring during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers center Ivica Zubac, left, tries to pass as Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson ties him up during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, left, dunks as Clippers center Ivica Zubac defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson, left, shoots as Clippers guard Kevin Porter Jr. defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George, right, shoots as Clippers center Ivica Zubac defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski, left, shoots as Clippers center Ivica Zubac defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson, right, passes the ball as forward Drew Eubanks, left, and Clippers guard Amir Coffey tie each other up during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Utah Jazz forward John Collins, right, and Clippers center Ivica Zubac reach for a rebound during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers guard Norman Powell, center, shoots as Utah Jazz forward John Collins, left, and guard Collin Sexton defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers guard Amir Coffey, right, goes up for a dunk as Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers center Mo Bamba dunks during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers center Ivica Zubac, right, dunks as Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers guard Kris Dunn, left, grabs a loose ball away from Utah Jazz forward John Collins during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers guard James Harden, left, shoots as Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers center Mo Bamba (4) grabs a rebound away from Utah Jazz forward Drew Eubanks during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, right, shoots as Clippers center Mo Bamba defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers guard James Harden, left, shoots as Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Clippers center Ivica Zubac, right, shoots as Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
INGLEWOOD — James Harden moved to the right side of the arc, barely getting his feet set, then launched a 26-foot shot into the record books.
With his first 3-pointer in the first quarter on Sunday night, the 16-year veteran moved into sole possession of second place on the NBA’s career list, breaking a tie with Ray Allen who had 2,973 made long-range shots.
“It’s an unbelievable accomplishment,” said Harden, who shot 2 for 8 from behind the arc and now has 2,975 3-point baskets to trail only Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry (3,782). “Just a testament to the amount of work that I’ve been putting in.
“As I get older and just chip away at an unbelievable career, I start to accomplish things like that. So, I don’t ever want to take it for granted. I just want to give motivation to the youth and every other person that’s chasing a dream to play professional basketball or whatever it is. So, it’s an honor.”
The Clippers took a moment during a timeout to celebrate the moment in front of the Intuit Dome crowd.
Then, with that out of the way, they focused on beating the Utah Jazz and getting back to the winning side of things. And they got there with a 116-105 victory that followed their winless three-game road trip.
Sunday’s victory was something of a milestone for the Clippers. Their largest margin of victory this season had been nine points (113-104) against the San Antonio Spurs 13 days ago.
“Taking care of the basketball was huge,” Coach Tyronn Lue said. “I think the ball was moving, the ball was hopping, we made the right play. I thought we actually got into our stuff, especially in that first half, first three quarters, and then offensive rebounding.”
Yet, like so many games this season, the Clippers again found themselves sweating down the stretch.
The Clippers led by 23 points in the first half and held a 66-45 lead at halftime. They led by as many as 22 points in the fourth quarter before it started to unravel. Utah closed to within 108-100 on a 3-pointer by Jazz forward Laurie Markkanen with 4:06 remaining and Kevin Porter Jr. followed with a layup to put the Clippers back ahead by 10. Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson then buried a 3-pointer to narrow the lead down to 110-103 with 3:18 left.
The Clippers answered with five quick points to move comfortably ahead at 115-103 and held off any further challenge from their opponent.
“It should have been easier,” said center Ivica Zubac, who had 22 points, 11 rebounds and two blocked shots in 32 minutes. “We got to be better with just closing the game out. Going up 20 at the half – we got to be able to come out better. We gave up a lot of points to start the third and we just got to be better. We can’t relax, we can’t let the teams believe they got a chance.”
The Clippers made it easier on themselves with just nine turnovers; they had been averaging 17.4.
Four others joined Zubac by scoring in double figures: Harden (20 points, 11 assists, six rebounds, zero turnovers), Norman Powell (18 points), Porter (12 points) and Kris Dunn (11 points, four assists).
Another in-game nod could easily have gone to 7-foot reserve center Mo Bamba, a Clippers’ offseason pick-up who had nine points and eight rebounds in 15 minutes in his season debut with his new team.
Lue had seen small signs of fatigue in Zubac, who carried most of the big man duties during the team’s first 13 games as Bamba rehabbed a lingering sore left knee.
“I think it’s been tough (for Zubac),” Lue said. “He plays the first six minutes of the game and then usually plays that whole second quarter. And so, as a guy who is 7-foot, 7-1, 7-2 or whatever, we gotta do a better job just trying to either get him three stints – where we start him the second quarter, get him out and then get him back in again. But I can tell that the fatigue is setting in with him.”
With Bamba filling in, Zubac shaved a few minutes off of his average as the Croatian big man had been playing 34 minutes.
Clarkson led the Jazz (3-10) with 21 points, while Markkanen added 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Utah was without Walker Kessler (hip), who missed his third game with no clear timetable for his return. John Collins and Drew Eubanks will absorb the minutes at center; Collins started in Kessler’s place again and finished with 11 points and seven rebounds.
BY THE NUMBERS
Harden needed 1,086 games and 8,189 3-point attempts to move past Allen, who needed 1,300 games and 7,429 attempts to set his mark of 2,973.
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