James Harden was far from impressive in the defeat, registering 11 points on 3-of-9 shooting, to go along with eight rebounds, five assists, two steals, zero three-pointers and four turnovers in 35 minutes of play.

James Harden managed only 11 points on 3-of-9 shooting and finished a team-worst minus-16 on a night when the NBA's third-best regular-season defense got carved up by Denver's 29 assists on 48 made baskets and 55.

The Los Angeles Clippers are on the brink of being eliminated from the 2025 NBA Playoffs after they suffered a 131-115 defeat at the hands of the Denver Nuggets in Game 5 on Tuesday night. For the second straight game, James Harden struggled for the Clippers, and as a result, he opted against speaking to the media for the second straight night.