James Harden and the Los Angeles Clippers are taking on the Utah Jazz in the first of a four-game homestand for the team this week. The Clippers returned from a three-game road trip in which the Clippers were 0-3 against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets. Harden, who played a little over eight seasons in Houston, returned last week looking to make NBA history involving Ray Allen.
The 10-time NBA All-Star came into Friday’s game against the Rockets just three three-pointers away from tying NBA legend Ray Allen for second on the NBA’s all-time three-pointers made list.
James Harden passes Ray Allen on 3-pointers list
James Harden made three three-pointers on Friday night, moving him into a tie Ray Allen for second on the NBA’s all-time three-pointers made list. Unfortunately, he couldn’t complete the feat in Houston, setting him up to do it back at home.
With the Utah Jazz in town for the first night of a back-to-back set for LA, Harden wasted no time getting the accomplishment done.
With 6:10 left in the first quarter, James Harden nailed a three-pointer from deep in the right wing, giving him three-pointer number 2,974.
In the days leading up to Harden breaking Ray Allen’s three-point record, the Clippers guard spoke with members of the media about the feat and what it means to him.
“Man, it’s huge,” James Harden said. “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, and hopefully I can get right behind Steph – pause – is 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.”
Ray Allen made his final regular season three-pointer on April 16, 2014, at the age of 38, in the Miami Heat’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Harden, 35 years of age, still has a couple good years left, will likely not catch Stephen Curry. Harden, who had 2,974 after passing Ray Allen, is still over 800 three-pointers behind Stephen Curry, who currently sits at 3,782 — and counting.
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“It’s an honor,” Harden added. “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.”
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue, who was on the Boston Celtics coaching staff with Doc Rivers during Ray Allen’s years there, recently explained a bit of the difference in how Harden and Allen get their three-point buckets.
“Ray was more coming off screens, catch-and-shoot,” Tyronn Lue said. “I mean, he could make a three off the dribble, but there wasn’t a lot of pick and rolls run for him. You know, Ray running around, coming off double staggers, pin-downs where James a lot of his is coming off pick-and rolls and shooting that pocket three or the iso with the one on one with the step-back, which he’s so famous for. He’s getting them in different ways but both of those guys are extra ordinary shooters.”
Ironically, the LA Clippers’ next opponent will be Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Monday night back at Intuit Dome. Curry is questionable for the contest with a knee issue and his status likely won’t be determined until closer to game time.