INGLEWOOD, Calif. — James Harden’s first 3-pointer Sunday night against the Utah Jazz placed the LA Clippers guard second on the all-time list for regular season 3-point field goals made in a career, breaking a tie with Hall of Fame shooting guard Ray Allen, who made 2,973 3s from 1996 to 2014.
Harden’s milestone 3 came a little less than six minutes into the Clippers’ 116-105 win on a jumper from the right wing over the outstretched hand of Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen.
“Unbelievable accomplishment,” said Harden, who received the game ball from Clippers coach Tyronn Lue after making 2 3s on the night. “Just a testament (to) the amount of work that I’ve been putting in. As I get older and chip away at an unbelievable career, you start to accomplish things like that.
“So I never want to take it for granted, you know what I mean? I just want to give motivation to the youth and every other person who’s chasing the dream to play professional basketball, or whatever it is. So it’s an honor.”
JAMES HARDEN PASSES RAY ALLEN 🚨
This 3 moves him into 2nd ALL-TIME in three-pointers made!
CONGRATS @JHarden13 👏 pic.twitter.com/LdcF6tZhiU
— NBA (@NBA) November 18, 2024
UNO 🤝 GAME BALL
Well deserved game ball for James Harden for 2nd most threes in @NBAHistory! pic.twitter.com/zzPvrPpJOq
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) November 18, 2024
The only player ahead of Harden on the all-time made 3s list is one of his top rivals: Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, who enters Monday night’s game against the Clippers with 3,782.
“I’m one of the most confident guys that we have in this league, but no, I probably won’t catch Steph,” Harden said. “And I don’t think anybody will, honestly. Just because … I don’t know man, he can shoot the s— out of the ball. And granted, a lot of these guys that are on that list are catch-and-shoot players, right?”
Harden added: “(There are) so many different variables to be able to shoot the 3 and make shots and do it at an efficient, high level. So somebody has to play an unbelievable career, shoot the ball well and make a lot of 3s. And if it happens, it’s going to be when we’re not here anymore.”
Harden, the third pick of the 2009 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder, tied Allen’s mark Friday night in a loss against the Houston Rockets, the franchise with which he spent the majority of his career. Earlier this month, Harden said he would have loved to pass Allen in either Houston or Oklahoma City but would be happy to get it done at home if necessary.
After making three 3s in the first quarter Friday night at Houston to tie Allen, cameras were all set on Harden to break the record. But Harden failed to make a 3 in the second or third quarters and did not play in the fourth quarter with the Clippers getting blown out for a third straight loss. Harden said he was motivated to break the record in front of his mother and other family in Houston.
Harden led the NBA in 3-pointers made and attempted in each season from 2017-18 (his MVP campaign) to 2019-20, his last full season in Houston. Lue, who was on the Boston Celtics’ coaching staff during Allen’s last three years with the team from 2009 to 2012, explained how Harden’s style is different than Allen’s.
“Ray was more coming off screens, catch and shoot,” Lue said. “He could make a 3 off the dribble, but (there) wasn’t a lot of pick-and-rolls for him. Ray was running around, coming off double staggers and pindowns. With James, a lot of his is coming off of pick-and-roll, shooting that pocket 3. Or, the (isolation) with the one-on-one into the stepback, which he’s so famous for. So (they get) them in different ways. But like I said, both of those guys are extraordinary shooters.”
Harden is the NBA’s all-time leader in four-point plays, converting a free throw 93 times after getting fouled while making a 3-pointer. A four-point play was a part of his first win as a Clipper almost a year ago (Nov. 17, 2023) in an NBA Cup game against the Rockets in Los Angeles.
In addition to being known for four-point plays, Harden is arguably the most prolific left-handed shooter of all time. He is one of 14 left-handed players to hit at least 1,000 career 3s, and he is the only left-handed player to ever exceed 2,000 makes.
While Curry is on pace to exceed the 4,000 career 3s later this season, Harden is on track to join him in the 3,000 3-point club next month. Out of 149 players to play in at least 1,000 games, no player has made more 3s per game than Harden at 2.7; only Allen (2.3 in 1,300 games) and 17-year pro Kyle Korver (2.0 in 1,232 games) have averaged at least two per game.
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(Photo: Harry How / Getty Images)
