The Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard goes up for a shot as the Philadelphia 76ers’ P.J. Tucker defends during the first half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The Clippers’ Ivica Zubac leaps for a rebound against the Philadelphia 76ers’ P.J. Tucker, right, and Tobias Harris during the first half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The Clippers’ Ivica Zubac, center, leaps for a rebound against the Philadelphia 76ers’ P.J. Tucker, right, and Tobias Harris during the first half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The Philadelphia 76ers’ James Harden, right, tries to get a shot past the Clippers’ Marcus Morris Sr. during the first half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The Clippers’ Marcus Morris Sr. blocks a shot by the 76ers’ James Harden during the first half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers’ Tobias Harris, left, goes up for a shot as the Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard defends during the second half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The Philadelphia 76ers’ Tobias Harris, left, reacts after a basket during the first half of their game against the Clippers on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The Clippers’ Paul George looks on during a pause in play in the first half of their game against the 76ers on Friday night in Philadelphia. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Clippers’ Norman Powell, left, goes up for a shot past the Philadelphia 76ers’ Tobias Harris during the first half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The Clippers’ Norman Powell, left, goes up for a shot against the Philadelphia 76ers’ Tobias Harris during the first half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The 76ers’ James Harden, left, and Joel Embiid speak during the first half of their game against the Clippers on Friday night in Philadelphia. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Clippers’ Marcus Morris Sr. shoots over the 76ers’ Tobias Harris during the first half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Clippers’ Paul George, right, defends as the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid reaches for the ball during the first half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid, left, tries to hang on to the ball as the Clippers’ Paul George defends during the first half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard shoots over the 76ers’ Joel Embiid during the first half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Clippers’ Terance Mann defends as the 76ers’ James Harden handles the ball during the first half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Clippers’ Paul George, right, goes up for a shot against the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid during the first half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The Clippers’ Ivica Zubac, right, blocks a shot by the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid during the first half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue yells instructions to his players during the first half of their game against the 76ers on Friday night in Philadelphia. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Clippers’ Ivica Zubac, left, tries to get past the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid during the second half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The Clippers’ Marcus Morris Sr., right, goes up for a shot against the Philadelphia 76ers’ Tobias Harris during the first half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid, bottom, dunks past the Clippers’ Nicolas Batum during the second half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The Clippers’ Marcus Morris Sr. , left, and the 76ers’ Georges Niang reach for a rebound during the second half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard handles the ball as the 76ers’ Joel Embiid defends during the second half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard runs down the court during the second half of their game against the 76ers on Friday night in Philadelphia. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Clippers’ Paul George, right, tries to get a shot past the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid during the second half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The Clippers’ Norman Powell, right, tries to get a shot past the Philadelphia 76ers’ Paul Reed during the second half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The Philadelphia 76ers’ James Harden, left, and Joel Embiid celebrate after a basket during the second half of their game against the Clippers on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Clippers center Ivica Zubac handles the ball as the 76ers’ Joel Embiid defends during the second half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers’ Shake Milton goes up for a shot as the Clippers’ Norman Powell (24) defends during the second half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The Clippers’ Paul George, right, passes the ball as the 76ers’ De’Anthony Melton defends during the second half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid shoots as the Clippers’ Ivica Zubac defends during the second half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The Clippers’ Nicolas Batum gestures during the second half of their game against the 76ers on Friday night in Philadelphia. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid, left, tries to get a shot past the Clippers’ Nicolas Batum, right, during the second half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard, left, and the 76ers’ James Harden glance at each other during the second half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers’ Paul Reed, right, and the Clippers’ Luke Kennard battle for a loose ball during the second half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The 76ers’ Joel Embiid shoots over Clippers center Ivica Zubac during the second half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The 76ers’ James Harden, right, and Joel Embiid speak during the second half of their game against the Clippers on Friday night in Philadelphia. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid goes up for a shot during the second half of their game against the Clippers on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The Clippers’ Paul George looks on during the second half of their game against the 76ers on Friday night in Philadelphia. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid goes up for a shot during the second half of their game against the Clippers on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers gestures after a play during the second half of their game against the Clippers on Friday night in Philadelphia. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers’ Tobias Harris goes up for a dunk in front of the Clippers’ Luke Kennard, left, Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac, right, during the second half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The 76ers’ Georges Niang celebrates in front of Clippers coach Tyronn Lue after scoring during the second half on Friday night in Philadelphia. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers’ De’Anthony Melton, center, and Tobias Harris celebrate as the Clippers’ Reggie Jackson, left, shows his frustration after their game on Friday night in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The 76ers’ James Harden, left, and the Clippers’ Paul George embrace after their game on Friday night in Philadelphia. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Clippers’ Paul George focuses himself before their game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night in Philadelphia. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA — The Clippers started strong, but they could not hold off the one-two punch that is Joel Embiid and James Harden for a full 48 minutes.
Embiid scored 44 points, Harden had a career-high 21 assists in a triple-double and the Philadelphia 76ers overcame a 20-point first-half deficit to beat the Clippers, 119-114, on Friday night.
“Defensively, when we double-teamed Joel they really picked us apart,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “We didn’t really get our rotations right. They got open threes. We had our chances. We just didn’t play smart the whole game.”
Kawhi Leonard had 28 points on 12-of-19 shooting for the Clippers. Paul George added 22 points and Norman Powell had 21. The 76ers limited George to five points in the second half, led by a standout performance from USC product De’Anthony Melton.
After their fast start, the Clippers still led 63-51 at halftime, but the 76ers outscored them 34-22 in the third quarter to tie the score heading into the fourth quarter.
Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers took a timeout after Nicolas Batum’s 3-pointer gave the Clippers a 108-107 lead with four minutes left. The 76ers then had a 10-0 run.
“They kept coming, they played well. We just didn’t finish the game off the right way,” Lue said.
Harden credited the 76ers’ defensive effort for sparking their offense.
“We knew how good of an offensive team they were,” said Harden, who had 20 points and 11 rebounds to help Philadelphia sweep a seven-game homestand and improve to 19-12. “They caught us in that first half. The second half we picked up our defensive intensity, got out in transition and it made the game a lot easier for us.”
Embiid was pleased his team was able to regroup after falling behind by so much.
“That’s big-time for us. That just shows that we stayed together, we trust each other, and we know what we have to do,” Embiid said about the comeback. “We started off the game soft, especially defensively, and as soon as we turned it up it changed the whole game.”
Harden tied Wilt Chamberlain and Maurice Cheeks for the franchise’s single-game assist record.
“That’s some great company. Mo Cheeks was one of my coaches (in Oklahoma City), and then Wilt, I feel like he has every record,” Harden said. “So just being in the conversation with some of the best basketball players to ever touch a basketball is always a blessing.”
Kawhi Leonard leads Clippers’ comeback against Wizards
Harden’s performance, approach to the game and the evolving chemistry between Embiid and Harden drew praise from Rivers.
“This is a generational scorer that has taken and decided to be a point guard, who still scores, but to be a point guard for this team,” Rivers said. “That’s hard to do. A lot of people, most people, can’t do that, or will not do it is a better way of saying it. The fact that he is willingly doing it, running the team, organizing us, is huge for us.”
TIP-INS
Clippers: John Wall sat out because of a sprained right ankle.
76ers: Harden’s previous career high for assists was 17, accomplished 10 times. Before the game, Rivers said Tyrese Maxey is getting close to returning from a fracture in his left foot that has kept him out since Nov. 18.
