Remember when everyone was ready to bury the Los Angeles Clippers? Yeah, about that.

James Harden reminded everyone Monday afternoon why you never count him out, pouring in 36 points with seven rebounds and nine assists as the Clippers gutted out a 110-106 win over Washington to keep their incredible run going. 

This one wasn’t pretty with 11 ties, 10 lead changes, and a finish that had everyone holding their breath, but ugly wins still count, and this team has now rattled off six straight after looking completely lost back in November.

The ending was pure Harden. He knocked down two free throws with 36.9 seconds left to put the Clippers ahead, then missed two more with 5.9 ticks remaining that could have iced it. 

But John Collins, back in action after missing time with a groin injury, flew in for the offensive rebound and tapped it right back to Harden. 

Two more makes, game over, and suddenly the Clippers are 19-23 and climbing after that disastrous 6-21 hole they dug themselves into.

The Supporting Cast Steps Up

Collins chipped in 11 points beyond that clutch board, and his return gives this team something they’ve badly needed: another big body who can score and rebound when defenses sell out to stop Harden.

Then there’s Jordan Miller, who just keeps making the most of his opportunity. 

The third-year guard dropped 16 points and has quickly become one of the feel-good stories of this turnaround, averaging nearly 15 points over his last five games while shooting a ridiculous 58 percent from the floor. 

Nobody saw this coming from a guy who was barely in the rotation a month ago, but Miller has grabbed this chance and isn’t letting go.

Ivica Zubac did his usual thing with 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Kris Dunn added 10 off the bench to round things out.

Now Comes the Hard Part

Here’s where it gets tricky. 

The Clippers hop on a plane to Chicago for a Tuesday night date with the Bulls (19-22) on zero days rest, and Kawhi Leonard is still back in Los Angeles getting his knee treated. 

That means Harden has to keep carrying this team while the young guys continue stepping into bigger roles.

But if there’s one thing we’ve learned over the past few weeks, it’s that this group knows how to find ways to win. 

They’ve gone from laughingstock to legitimate playoff threat, and Harden has been the driving force behind every bit of it. 

A back-to-back in the Midwest is a tough ask, but count them out at your own risk.