James Harden is playing the best basketball of his season as the Los Angeles Clippers rolled past the top surging Detroit Pistons. After the final buzzer, though, his mind wasn’t on his historic scoring night, his superlative game in a season of falsehoods and tension or the Clippers’ struggle to avoid the play-in tournament. Whereas Harden had only one thing on his mind, Barack Obama left before taking a picture with him.
“Man, I wanted my pic with Presy after the game,” Harden said. “He left because he wanted to beat traffic… It’s cool to see him at the game. It’s probably the reason I played so well.” Yep. Harden put on a legendary performance with a former President watching courtside, and the man still left him hanging.
James Harden on @BarackObama attending the Clippers game when he scores 50 points:
“Man, I wanted my pic with Presy after the game. He left because he wanted to beat traffic… It’s cool to see him at the game. It’s probably the reason I played so well.” pic.twitter.com/f2n7m4MVKJ
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) March 6, 2025
James Harden’s reaction was lighthearted, but he really wanted that moment. The man dropped a casual 50-piece with Obama in attendance—how often do you get that kind of setup? But instead of celebrating post-game with a legendary handshake and photo-op, Harden got ghosted.
It wasn’t just a random appearance either. Obama, sitting courtside next to Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, had the entire Intuit Dome on its feet when he appeared on the jumbotron. Given his love for the game (and his own infamous busted-lip basketball incident back in 2010), it was fitting that he was in the building for Harden’s masterpiece.
But when the game wrapped, Obama was gone. No handshake. No flick. Nothing. Unfortunately, he took a personal L but he will take solace in the fact that he delivered the win for his team.
50-point night fuels crucial Clippers victory
Even without the presidential approval, Harden was undeniably the star of the night. The Clippers needed a statement win after a brutal road trip that saw them lose six of their last seven games. With Kawhi Leonard resting and multiple key players out, the pressure was on Harden to deliver—and he did exactly that.
He put up 23 points in the first half alone, setting the tone early. The game was a back-and-forth battle, but in crunch time, Harden took over. A personal 4-6 run in the fourth quarter helped the Clippers pull away, and his late-game heroics sealed the deal.
By the final buzzer, Harden had racked up 50 points on 14-of-24 shooting, drilling six threes and dishing out a few highlight-reel assists for good measure. He became just the fifth player in Clippers franchise history to drop 50 in a game, joining an elite group that includes Bob McAdoo.
This wasn’t just a feel-good win for the Clippers—it was an absolute must-win. Heading into the game, they were clinging to the 8th seed in the Western Conference standings. A loss would’ve dropped them to 9th, pushing them further into the dangerous play-in territory.
Nov 8, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) reacts after a call during the first quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
Instead, James Harden’s explosion helped them hold on to 8th place, keeping their postseason fate in their own hands. It wasn’t pretty—Detroit made them fight for it.
The Clippers now sit at 33-29, and while they still have work to do, this game showed they can still be dangerous when Harden is in his bag.
For Harden, this was the kind of game that reminded everyone just how deadly he can be when he’s feeling it. He carried an injury-riddled Clippers squad, saved them from slipping further in the standings, and gave the home crowd a show.
But the one thing missing? That picture with Obama. Maybe next time, Harden. Maybe next time.
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