After the third consecutive game of hitting three triples, James Harden stood level with Ray Allen on the all-time three-point list. It was only a matter of time before the Beard, a renowned scoring sicko would find nylon once again. And at the sixth-minute mark against the Utah Jazz, he buried the record breaker. Harden pointed to the sky, recognizing the achievement, now sitting only behind Stephen Curry.
But how did this three-point come to fruition? Harden’s journey began when he got his own platform and the ultimate green light with the Houston Rockets.
In his peak season, specifically the 2018-19 campaign, Harden launched his most attempts ever in a season, 1028. That of course came at a time basketball had changed due to the advent of Curry. In his 18 seasons, Ray Allen never attempted over 600 three-pointers per game. Likewise, modern-day guards are fast closing in on his previously set record in 2011.
As for his career, Harden had attempted 8187 three-pointers just to tie Allen’s record. The Bucks legend now sits at 750 fewer shots than Harden throughout his decorated career. Moreover, in terms of efficiency, Ray Allen mastered the fundamentals, hitting 40% of those 7429 attempts. On the other hand, Harden has converted 36.3% prior to passing the former Heat shooting guard.
USA Today via Reuters Apr 12, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) warms up prior to the NBA game against the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
But how does all of this compare to the ultimate GOAT of shooting?