The Clippers returned home with a 2-2 record after four games, and despite all the hard work it took to achieve those results, they had to compete against one of the NBA’s best talents: Denver’s supernatural center Nikola Jokic .

So the challenge for coach Tyronn Lue and his team’s stingy defense Sunday night was to find a way to deal with Jokic, who was averaging a triple-double of 29.7 points per game (fourth-best in the league) and 13 .1 rebounds went into the game (first in the league) and 10.6 assists (second best in the league).

The Clippers couldn’t stop Jokic from delivering another of his trademark triple-doubles, but LA withstood the MVP’s dominance and picked up a 126-122 victory over Denver, behind the all-around play of James Harden and the return of Norman Powell and the insult he brought with him.

It was an NBA milestone night for Harden, who had 39 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds. Going 6-for-15 from three-point range, Harden has made 3,004 three-pointers over his career, becoming only the second player in NBA history to make more than 3,000 three-pointers. Golden State’s Stephen Curry (3,810) has the most in league history.

“Another one of those accomplishments you never take for granted,” Harden said. “Just the amount of work that I put in, when I count the days and nights that I put in the work, a lot of people don’t see it, but the results are coming. “So I’m just grateful.”

To make the night at the Intuit Dome even better, it was Harden’s two free throws with 8.6 seconds left that sealed the deal for the Clippers and allowed them to beat the Nuggets for the second time this season.

Harden played 38 minutes and 25 seconds. He played all 24 minutes in the second half but was needed. He made all 10 of his free throws in the fourth quarter, with a large portion of them coming in the final 12 minutes for 23 points.

He is now 35 years old, in his 16th NBA season and has had a smooth start to this season. But Harden has begun to take over the job when the Clippers need him most

“I’m feeling a lot better,” Harden said. “My legs are starting…For an older guy in this league, 16 years in this league, I need a little more time to get used to it, especially because my role has changed. I haven’t had this role for four or five years. So it’s just going to take some time to get there.”

Harden even brought out one of his signature moves that he made famous while putting up MVP numbers in Houston by executing his dribbling routine, a move that left him breaking his ankles and hitting Denver defender Peyton sending Watson flying backwards.

Harden then practiced the step-back jumper and then his stir-the-pot move.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Harden said when asked about his setback. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

After missing nearly two weeks and six games with a left hamstring injury, Powell had 28 points.

He made all five of his free throws in the fourth quarter, which was another big win for the Clippers.

“He was a little rusty getting into the paint on his layups and tackles,” Lue said. “But I thought his three-pointer was really good and I thought as the game went on he kind of found his rhythm and got going. He was huge for us.”

In many ways, it was just another typical night for Jokic, who posted 28 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists.

His weaknesses were the five turnovers and the two-for-seven game from three-point range.

“I thought we did a good job of just trying to maintain his size, keep Zu with him and keep him minute to minute for the most part,” Lue said of keeping Clippers center Ivica Zubac at 7 :0 on the 6-0 goal. 11 Funny. “And then take away his threes. He made seven three-pointers in the last game we played against them and he’s shooting at top speed this year.”

Etc…

Kevin Porter Jr., the Clippers’ backup point guard, was sidelined with a sprained ankle. Lue said “it could be” when asked if Porter could be out for a while. “I know he’s out tonight. We’ll know more tomorrow when we do some testing.” Porter is averaging 8.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists over 18.7 minutes per game. Lue was asked if the Clippers had expected at the start of the season that Kawhi Leonard would miss the first 22 games of the season with a right knee injury. “No, I didn’t expect that,” Lue said.

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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.