The Los Angeles Clippers are the NBA's hottest team with 11 wins over their past 13 games.
James Harden says he never lost faith in his teammates amid their early-season struggles, even when the Clippers were 6-21.
"Some teams, when it gets that bad, they just let the wheels fall off," Harden told reporters, including ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, following Wednesday's victory over the Washington Wizards. "I had interviews where people were asking me, 'How do you find confidence?' and I'm like, 'The confidence is there. The losses are frustrating, but the confidence is still there.'
"I think finding little tweaks and being a lot better defensively is what really helped us out. ... Now we got to take one game at a time, just like when we were in the hole. We can come all the way back, but we have to chip away, chip away and really build some momentum going into the All-Star break."
Los Angeles' defense has returned to form during the team's surge. The Clippers rank seventh in defensive efficiency (111.8 points per 100 possessions) since Dec. 20.
Kawhi Leonard is also healthy and playing some of the best basketball of his career, averaging 32.7 points, 6.9 boards, 3.8 assists, 2.6 steals, and one block across his last 13 appearances. The two-time Finals MVP posted a career-high 55 points in late December against the Detroit Pistons.
Los Angeles now sits a half-game back of the Memphis Grizzlies for the West's final play-in tournament spot.
Harden said he couldn't be happier to be part of the team's turnaround.
"Being at home, that's like the opportunity of a lifetime for me," Harden said. "Just be able to hoop in front of my family, friends, people I grew up with, people that raised me. It's a different feeling. So as much as people talk all the time, that's social media, that's what people's jobs are to talk. For me, it's just like I'm actually living in it so I can't get caught up in what people talk about, how people feel, whatever the case.
"I'm from L.A. and I'm blessed to be here."
