Clippers’ James Harden passes Ray Allen for second place on the NBA’s all-time 3s list

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 3-point field goals made in a regular-season career, breaking a tie for shooting in Hall of Fame guard Ray Allen, who made 2,973 3s from 1996 to 2014.

Harden’s milestone 3 came just under six minutes into the Clippers’ 116-105 victory on a jumper from the right wing over the outstretched hand of Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen.

“Unbelievable performance,” said Harden, who received the game ball from Clippers coach Tyronn Lue after hitting 2 3s that night. “Just a testament to the amount of work I put into it. As I get older and have had an incredible career, you start to achieve 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 any other person who is chasing the dream of playing professional basketball or whatever it is. So it’s an honor.”

JAMES HARDEN GOES RAY ALLEN 🚨

This 3 takes him to 2nd ALL-TIME in three-pointers made!

CONGRATULATIONS @JHarden13 👏 pic.twitter.com/LdcF6tZhiU

— NBA (@NBA) November 18, 2024

UNO 🤝GAME BALL

Well-deserved game ball for James Harden for second place with the most threes @NBAHistory! pic.twitter.com/zzPvrPpJOq

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) November 18, 2024

The only player ahead of Harden on the all-time 3s list is one of his biggest 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 we have in this league, but no, I’m probably not going to catch Steph,” Harden said. “And honestly, I don’t think anyone will. Just because… I don’t know man, he can shoot the s- out of the ball. And granted, a lot of these guys on that list are catch-and-shoot players, right?

Harden added: “(There are) so many different variables to being able to shoot the 3 and make shots and do it at an efficient, high level. So someone has to have an incredible career, shoot the ball well and make a lot of threes. And if it happens, it will happen when we are gone.”

Harden, the third pick of the 2009 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder, matched Allen’s mark Friday night in a loss to the Houston Rockets, the franchise with which he spent most of his career. Earlier this month, Harden said he would have liked to pass on Allen in Houston or Oklahoma City, but would like to do it at home if necessary.

After making three threes in the first quarter Friday night in Houston to tie Allen, the cameras were all 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, eliminating the Clippers 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 three-pointers made and attempted in every season from 2017-18 (his MVP campaign) to 2019-20, his last full season in Houston. Lue, who was part of the Boston Celtics coaching staff during Allen’s final three years with the team from 2009 to 2012, explained how Harden’s style is different from Allen’s.

“Ray came off the screens more, catching and shooting,” Lue said. “He could make a 3 off the dribble, but there weren’t a lot of pick-and-rolls for him. Ray was running around coming out of double staggers and pindowns. With James, a big part of him comes from the pick-and-roll, shooting the pocket 3. Or the (isolation) with the one-on-one in the stepback that he’s so famous for. So (they get) them in different ways. But like I said, these guys are both exceptional shooters.”

Harden is the NBA’s all-time leader in four-point plays, converting 93 free throws after being fouled while making a three-pointer. A four-point play was part of his first win as a Clipper nearly a year ago (Nov. 17, 2023) in an NBA Cup game against the Rockets in Los Angeles.

Harden is not only known for his four-point game, but is perhaps 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 hit more than 2,000 makes.

While Curry is on pace to surpass 4,000 career 3s later this season, Harden is on track to join him in the 3,000 3-point club next month. Of the 149 players who have played 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 Hoe/Getty Images)