Stephen Curry, James Harden, and Ray Allen are the names you often hear associated with the three-point revolution of the NBA. Friday night, Harden was four threes away from tying Ray Allen for second most threes all time before heading to Houston. The Los Angeles Clippers faced the Houston Rockets in their first NBA Cup game of the season. It would have been a storybook achievement for Harden to mark his major achievement in the same building where he hit most of those threes. However, Ime Udoka and the Rockets had other plans, it seems.
Rockets Intentionally Hold James Harden Back from Ray Allen Achievement
Harden started the game hot, making three of his first six three-point shot attempts in the first quarter. Following this, Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, and Dillon Brooks seemed to activate their defensive bests. Blocks steals, and all the grunt work helped Houston Harden to only a tie with Ray Allen’s record.
Safe to say the Rockets knew James Harden was four threes away from moving into second place and made it a point for it not to happen tonight.
“Happy to hold him to that here and let him celebrate here” pic.twitter.com/NenKifnwjt
— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) November 16, 2024
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In the post-game press conference, Ime Udoka and Fred VanVleet‘s comments made it clear that the team had taken notice of this milestone for Harden. Ime Udoka said,
“I think the team, they all mentioned it. Not on our watch, I guess. Happy to hold him under that here and not let him celebrate here”
Moreover, even VanVleet echoed a sentiment similar to Ime’s. He said,
“It may or may not have been talked about before the game, but the good thing about it is that it’s the scouting report anyway. He’s about to be number 2 for a reason and a part of our gameplan was to try and limit his threes, and just was an easy motivating factor.”
James Harden, Ray Allen, and Steph Curry: Mount Rushmore of threes?
Tying Ray Allen’s record of 2,973 made threes, Harden cemented his name as one of the best scorers in NBA history. The Clippers face the Utah Jazz next where he will almost certainly break that record. James Harden feels Steph Curry is too good to even count him in the race. Therefore, in a conversation with Shams Charania, James Harden clarified his opinion. When asked about surpassing Ray Allen and eyeing Steph next, Harden said,
“I’m gonna consider myself number 1. Steph don’t count.” He is trying to imply that Steph is too good that he doesn’t even count himself in a race with Steph.
Shams: “You’re 34 three pointers away from being 2nd all-time.”
Harden: “I’m gonna consider myself number 1, Steph [Curry] don’t count.”
James Harden on the all-time 3PM list
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— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 15, 2024
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James Harden made most of his threes with the Rockets (2,029). He made 320 three-pointers with the Thunder. He added 207 in two seasons in Philadelphia and 198 in two seasons in Brooklyn. Harden has made 219 three-pointers for the Clippers, where he is beginning his second season. Legends like Reggie Miller and Larry Bird paved the path for the three-point revolution. However, Curry, Harden, and Allen became the torchbearers who followed them and took the revolution to newer heights.
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