Chris Paul drew the headlines — and a warm welcome from the Charlotte crowd — after he suggested he is going to retire after this season and this could be his final game in his home state.

However, it was James Harden who carried the Clippers, scoring 27 points in the first quarter on his way to a franchise-high 55 in the game.

Behind Harden, the Clippers picked up a 131-116 win on the road, something much needed for a team that had lost 9-of-10. Ivica Zubac added 18 points for Los Angeles.

It was a rough night for Charlotte fans watching their team drop its fifth straight, but they gave a huge ovation to Paul in what might be his final game in his native North Carolina.

The good news for Charlotte was that Brandon Miller returned after missing the last 13 games due to a shoulder injury, and he dropped 21 in the loss. Rookie Kon Knueppel led the Hornets with 26 points.