Clippers guard James Harden looks to get around the Portland Trail Blazers’ defense during the second half on Thursday night in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara, left, tries to get around Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) as he goes to the basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Clippers guard Kris Dunn drives to the basket against Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson, right, during the first half of a game, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr. (55) reacts after being fouled during the first half of a game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III, right, watches his missed shot during the first half of a game against the Clippers, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Clippers guard Norman Powell (24) tries to get around the defense of Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (1) during the first half of a game, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue, second from left, talks with center Ivica Zubac, left, during a timeout during the first half of a game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Portland Trail Blazers forward Jabari Walker (34) grabs a rebound during the second half of a game against the Clippers, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Clippers guard Norman Powell drives to the basket during the second half of their victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night in Portland, Ore. Powell had a team-high 23 points in a 118-89 win. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Portland Trail Blazers guard Dalano Banton looks on during the second half of a game against the Clippers, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Portland Trail Blazers forward Jabari Walker gets a rebound during the second half of a game against the Clippers, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr. reacts to a call during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Clippers guard Norman Powell, center, goes to the basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups talks to players during a timeout in the second half of a game against the Clippers, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Clippers guard Norman Powell, left, and guard Amir Coffey, center, laugh while sitting on the bench during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons hugs Clippers guard Norman Powell, back to camera after a game, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Clippers guard Norman Powell signs his shoes before giving them to a fan after a game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Clippers guard Kevin Porter Jr. looks on during introductions for the Portland Trail Blazers before a game, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Portland, Ore.(AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Clippers guard Terance Mann stands during the playing of the national anthem before a game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Show Caption1 of 19Clippers guard James Harden looks to get around the Portland Trail Blazers’ defense during the second half on Thursday night in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Expand By ERIK GARCÍA GUNDERSEN The Associated Press PORTLAND, Ore. — As back-to-back sets go, this one didn’t present much of a challenge on paper, but the Clippers left no doubt anyway. Norman Powell scored 23 points, James Harden had 19 points and six assists and the Clippers routed the Portland Trail Blazers, 118-89, on Thursday night to complete an impressive two-night showing. They crushed a depleted Brooklyn squad by a franchise-record 59 points the previous night in Inglewood. The Clippers (23-17) were never threatened in this one either. They shot 56.4% from the field (10 for 23 from 3-point range), won the rebounding battle 50-37 and held the Blazers to 37.4% shooting. Kawhi Leonard, just a few games into his delayed start to the season, was given the night off as part of the ongoing management of his surgically repaired right knee. Dalano Banton had 23 points in 25 minutes off the bench for the Blazers (13-27), while Scoot Henderson contributed 16 points and six assists. Portland’s Anfernee Simons shot 0 for 9 from the field and failed to score. The Clippers’ only real concern came midway through the fourth quarter when Kevin Porter Jr. walked gingerly off the court after hurting his lower back in a collision with Banton. Harden, who was able to sit out the entire fourth quarter off for the second night in a row, scored 12 first-quarter points as the Clippers knocked down 12 of 18 shots in the period for a 32-22 lead. They extended the margin to 47-26 as part of a 24-6 run. Clippers center Ivica Zubac (10 points, eight rebounds) even blocked two shots on the same possession at one point. The first came on a dunk attempt by Henderson and the second came only seconds later when Blazers center Deandre Ayton picked up the loose ball and tried a dunk of his own. Henderson, coming off a career-high 39 points against the Nets (14-27) on Tuesday, momentarily ended the struggle for the Blazers, who sharpened up defensively to get within 52-38 by halftime. The Clippers roared out of the blocks to begin the third quarter, using a 13-2 surge to open a 65-40 lead. Banton and Kris Murray sparked a 13-2 Portland run over the last 2:37 of the quarter to reduce the Clippers’ cushion to 86-66 going into the fourth. Related Articles Clippers | Steve and Connie Ballmer donating $15 million in wildfire relief Clippers | Clippers set franchise record with 59-point rout of Nets Clippers | NBA reschedules Lakers’ and Clippers’ games postponed because of wildfires Clippers | Clippers star Kawhi Leonard in no rush to end minutes restriction Clippers | James Harden’s big 3rd quarter helps Clippers rally past Heat Powell was active early in the fourth as the Clippers dominated again, blowing the margin out to a game-high 34 points on a Kobe Brown dunk before it was over. Powell formed a special relationship with Blazers coach Chauncey Billups during Billups’ first season as Portland’s coach, and Billups is impressed with Powell, who is averaging a career-high 23.7 points. “(I’m) really proud,” Billups said. “I didn’t get to coach him for that long, but we got very, very close in that short time. And he always shared with me that this is the player he could be.” UP NEXT The Clippers host the Lakers on Sunday at 6 p.m.