The Los Angeles Clippers saw star guard James Harden make history on Sunday night, passing Ray Allen for second on the NBA’s all-time three-pointers made list. Ironically, the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry, the number one record holder on that three-point field goal list, are set to visit the Clippers on Monday night.
Can anyone surpass Curry’s all-time three-point record?
James Harden on Stephen Curry’s 3-point record
James Harden and the LA Clippers defeated the Utah Jazz on Sunday night, making history in the process. In the 116-105 victory, Harden went for 20 points, six rebounds, 11 assists, two steals, and two blocks on 7-of-14 shooting.
His first three-pointer of the night, which came at the 6:10 mark of the first quarter, officially took over second place and moved Ray Allen to third.
After the game, Harden expressed gratitude for reaching the feat.
“It’s an unbelievable accomplishment,” James Harden said after the win. “Just a testament to the amount of work that I’ve been putting in. As I get older and just chip away at an unbelievable career, start to accomplish things like that. So I don’t ever want to take it for granted. I just want to give motivation to the youth and every other person that’s chasing a dream to play professional basketball or whatever it is. So it’s an honor.”
The Clippers just played a three-game road trip in Oklahoma City and Houston, where many folks believed Harden would be determined to break the record. Unfortunately, the 10-time NBA All-Star and 75th Anniversary Team member was unable to get it done.
“It’s huge,” Harden said in the days leading up to his record-breaking night. “Just seeing Ray Ray and the sniper he was, the big-time shots he took and he made. And now just being a part of that legacy… It’s a great accomplishment. It’s something that I never individually would’ve dreamed off, but just putting in the work day in and day out and going out there and showing the work that I put in.”
“It’s an honor. These are legendary players that paved the way for guys like myself to go out there and break records. There’s a lot of guys that are up and coming after me after I’m done to do the same thing. I’m just happy I’m in that conversation.”
During a pre-season interview with ESPN, James Harden joked that he should be number one on the all-time list and Curry should be excluded, joking that he’s so good, he doesn’t count.
Following his incredible feat and entering Monday night’s game between the Clippers and Warriors, James Harden sits 807 three-pointers behind Stephen Curry for first on the all-time three-pointers made list.
Harden is averaging 2.5 makes from beyond the arc per game this season on 31.4 percent shooting, and hasn’t been above three made triples per game since his time with the Houston Rockets. Curry is having a down year by his standards and is still making four three-pointers per game on 43.2 percent shooting.
Will anyone ever catch Stephen Curry? What would it even take to catch Steph?
That exact question was posed to Harden on Sunday night.
“I mean, I’m one of the most confident guys that we have in this league,” Harden said during his postgame press conference, mulling his answer. “But no. I probably won’t catch Steph. And I don’t think anybody will honestly. Just because… Steph started and he just… I don’t know man…”
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A speechless Harden took a second to gather his thoughts before explaining what was really on his mind.
“He can shoot the sh-t out the ball, man. And granted, a lot of these guys are on that list for catch-and-shoot players, so they came off pin-downs, they were spot-shots or whatnot. Now, where the game has evolved, guys like Steph are coming off pindowns, he’s creating off ISOs, he’s coming off pick and rolls. So there’s so many different variables to be able to shoot the three and make shots and do it at an efficient high level.
“Somebody has to play, have an unbelievable career, shoot the ball well, and make a lot of threes and I mean if it happens, it’s going to be when we’re not here anymore. So that’ll be in there for a minute.”
Curry, who turns 37 years of age in March 2025, is likely going to play at least a few more years and will up his count to over 4,500 three-pointers in the regular season. Curry also leads the NBA in three-pointers made in the postseason at 618, which sits 117 above former Splash Brother teammate Klay Thompson for second place all time.
At this stage, it feels safe to say that no one will likely catch Curry in our lifetimes, and maybe ever. The best James Harden can probably do is go out and try to make second place unreachable as well.
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