LOS ANGELES — The 2024-25 season marks a significant moment for the Los Angeles Clippers, who kicked off their home games at the new Intuit Dome against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday.

“This is a monumental day for Clippers basketball, our supporters, and ownership,” commented Clippers coach Tyronn Lue, celebrating the inaugural game in the new venue.

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer invested $2 billion in the arena. Before the game commenced, he mingled with fans outside, where a chant of “Let’s go Clippers” erupted.

As the game neared, Ballmer was once again among the fans, dancing and cheering before he took the microphone to declare, “Welcome home, Clipper Nation!”

The fans of the Clippers certainly made their presence known, impacting both teams.

The arena includes “The Wall,” a dedicated section for Clippers supporters, situated behind the opponent’s basket. This area aims to provide a distraction to the visiting team.

“I absolutely love the wall they’ve got,” stated Suns forward Kevin Durant after the matchup. “It was wild. I couldn’t take my eyes off it. It’s definitely something you’re not used to seeing.”

Here are key highlights from the Clippers’ season opener:

Final Score: Suns 116, Clippers 113 (OT)

The Clippers relied on guard James Harden to step up as they faced the Suns without star forward Kawhi Leonard.

Last season, Harden had a secondary role among a roster filled with stars including Paul George and Russell Westbrook. With both players gone, Harden takes on a larger role as he enters his second year with the Clippers.

Harden made 10 of his 28 shot attempts and contributed 12 rebounds along with eight assists in 40 minutes of play. He had an opportunity to tie the game and force a second overtime but missed one of his two free throw attempts.

Despite the setback, Harden sees potential for improvement and is optimistic about his team’s performance.

“There were lots of positives from that game,” Harden expressed. “We played with great intensity, and that’s going to be our hallmark in every game.”

Clippers guard Norm Powell opened the scoring before going on to lead all players at halftime with 11 points. The Clippers finished the first half strong, going on a 10-2 run in the last 2:32 of the second quarter, but entered the locker room trailing 47-39.

Harden sparked a comeback in the second half, netting 16 of his 29 points in the third quarter.

Center Ivica Zubac also contributed six points early in the third, helping the Clippers tie the game at 51 with 7:33 remaining in the period. The Suns had their largest lead of 14 points, while the Clippers never surpassed a lead of 10 points.

Clippers Set Their Own Standards

Harden noted that he has never missed the playoffs in his career and has no intention of starting this season.

ESPN’s NBA Power Index forecasts the Clippers to finish with a .500 record of 41-41, giving them a 40% chance of making the postseason.

He is aware of the expectations placed on the Clippers by analysts but believes the team will adhere to their own goals.

“Our team has a lot to prove,” said Harden. “Numerous times I’ve been on teams labeled as not good enough, yet we proved people wrong. This is another chance to show that, and I feel we have many players with the right mindset in the locker room, which excites me for what lies ahead.”

Kawhi Leonard’s Injury Update

Leonard was not able to participate in Wednesday’s game against the Suns and could be sidelined for a few weeks, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.

He had a knee procedure in the offseason to address swelling issues.

“We must establish an identity of playing hard and competing fiercely,” Harden remarked. “There are areas for improvement, but our identity will remain the same even when Kawhi returns.”

Last season, Leonard averaged 23.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.