The LA Clippers’ regular season schedule has officially been announced. Within it is a handful of dates the Clippers should be looking forward to. However, one that sticks out like a sore thumb, for bittersweet reasons, is December 31st, also known as New Year's Eve, when LA will travel to The Land to face off against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
It’ll be sweet, as this will be the Clippers’ first time battling the former fan-favorite guard, James Harden. He was traded at the February 2026 deadline and hasn’t played LA since. On the other hand, the bitter part of the matchup correlates to Darius Garland. He’ll have his first opportunity to show the Cavaliers they made a horrible mistake by giving up on him at such a young age, with two All-Star appearances already accomplished.
That said, Clipper Nation, get your popcorn ready, and ensure there are no distractions. New Year’s Eve is going to be a good one.
The Clippers’ first game against the Cavs next season will be more bitter than sweet
Within the organization, there is certainly still a sense of love for James Harden. That’ll never go away, as he went above and beyond for the LA Clippers, playing through injuries and showing up when no one else did.
When warmups begin and the former MVP steps on the court to get shots up, there will certainly be a ton of smiles, laughter, and good memories reignited. Â
In the same breath, though, through the first matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers since last season’s trade deadline, there is a chip on Darius Garland’s shoulder, and everyone and their mother wants to see how he’s going to respond.
The Cavaliers ultimately dealt Garland because they wanted to win now and were also concerned about his lingering injuries. They believed Harden was the answer and took the avenue to acquire him.
Were they right in doing so? That answer is unclear at the moment, given Garland didn’t accomplish much in his half-season stint with the Clippers last season.
But New Year's Eve is a game Garland can dominate to show Cleveland the solution they were looking for was right in front of them. It’ll also be interesting to see his body language. Will he show how he feels about the trade with his actions, such as celebrating emphatically after a bucket, or take the humble approach and let his game do the talking?
That’s why December 31st is a date the Clippers and fans worldwide are looking forward to.
Add us as a preferred source on Google