There was a glimpse of vintage MVP James Harden at the Intuit Dome last night. Harden has not only lit up the scoreboard but also carved his name deeper into the NBA history. Draining his 3000th career three-pointer, he became just the second player after Stephen Curry to reach this legendary milestone. Everyone was in awe, but Harden felt it was just the beginning. Surprisingly, even his longtime critic Kendrick Perkins couldn’t help but tip his hat.

As the game concluded, taking to X, Kendrick Perkins tweeted, “Let’s not forget before Luka it was James Harden. He damn show reminded us tonight while given Jokic and the Nuggets a damn Spanking…39-11-9 with the W!” Interestingly while giving props to Harden’s brilliance, he set one condition to critic him, “I’ll never question regular season Harden, just playoff Harden.”

And Harden truly earned that praise, even though it came with a twist at the end. The Clippers’ star delivered a jaw-dropping 39-point performance, making all 13 of his free throws, and nearly secured a triple-double with 11 assists and nine rebounds. Despite Nikola Jokic posting yet another triple-double with 28 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists—his eighth this season—the Clippers managed to pull off a thrilling 126-122 victory.

Meanwhile, Perkins also threw some flowers at Clippers coach Tyronn Lue. “Btw Shoutout to T-Lue because he got them boys competing,” Perkins added in his tweet.

Harden’s resurgence has been hard to ignore. With as many 30-plus point games this season as he had all of last season, the veteran guard looks like he’s settling into his groove. If this is what the “second quarter” of the Clippers’ season looks like, fans better buckle up.

Harden justifies Perkins’ claim

LA Clippers have been a pleasant surprise this season. With a 13-9 record, they’re outperforming teams like the Suns, Kings, Timberwolves, and even the reigning champion Nuggets. Not bad for a squad many doubted could hold their own without Kawhi Leonard. But in Leonard’s absence, James Harden has taken the reins, stepping up as the offensive leader Tyronn Lue’s team desperately needed.

Still, Harden knows he’s not quite at his peak. After the win, the 35-year-old opened up about the adjustments he’s had to make. “I’m feeling a lot better,” Harden said. “My role has changed. You know, I haven’t had this role in, four or five years. So it just took me some time to get there. But you guys can see us, game by game, I continue to get better.”

Whether Harden returns to his full MVP form remains to be seen. But one thing’s certain—Kendrick Perkins is already cementing Harden’s legacy. Just last month, the 2008 NBA champ shared his list of the top four shooting guards in NBA history. No surprises at the top: Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Dwyane Wade took the third spot, with Harden rounding out the list. According to Perkins, Harden’s greatness is undeniable, and performances like this keep proving him right.