James Harden’s Ben Simmons Message After Clippers Debut

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ayomide Adeduyite | Last updated Feb 14, 2025 12:54 PM ET

Former Brooklyn Nets forward Ben Simmons was the talk of the night in his Los Angeles Clippers debut against the Utah Jazz. The three-time All-Star delivered a solid performance, registering 12 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and three steals in LA’s overtime win.

Simmons, 28, who struggled with multiple injuries during his time in Brooklyn, played 27 minutes off the bench and showed flashes of his brilliant self throughout the game. The 2018 Rookie of the Year went 4-for-5 from the field and hit all his free throws, an encouraging sign given his previous struggles at the line (59.2% for his career).

Clippers guard Norman Powell led all scorers with 41 points, while James Harden recorded a double-double, finishing with 32 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. Harden played 49 minutes, tied for the second-most in his 16-year career, and shared his thoughts on the victory after the game, praising Simmons' contributions in his Clippers debut.

"Our new guys have done a great job," Harden said. "Ben played well tonight. [Bogdan Bogdanovic], just big minutes from our entire team.

“I told TLue don’t take me out the game… We needed to go into the break with some swagger.” -James Harden pic.twitter.com/FgmiSPHcAH
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) February 14, 2025

Specifically on Simmons, Harden added, "In ways that we didn’t have. Ben, with his pace up the floor, finishing, and playmaking ability... It’s only one game. Obviously, [Kawhi Leonard] didn’t play tonight, but once we get our full roster and get rolling, we can do some great things."

The Clippers trailed by as many as 20 points in this game, but forced overtime and got the win. With the win, LA improved to 31-23, holding steady at 6th place in the Western Conference heading into the All-Star break.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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