Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden passed Hall of Fame sharpshooter Ray Allen for second all-time Career 3-pointers with a deep ball from the wing in Sunday's win over the Utah Jazz.
The historic shot gave Harden 2,974 career three-pointers, and he achieved the feat in 215 fewer games than Allen, thanks largely to a huge discrepancy in volume. Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry holds the all-time record with 3,782 and counting – probably unassailable for Harden.
It's fitting that Harden's shot to pass Allen came in isolation, where he has done much of his 3-point damage throughout his career.
While it wasn't a throwback shot – the shot that can be argued to have defined the modern game as much as any single basketball play – Harden made the 3-pointer from the pick-and-roll at which he was just as effective was like any other player in league history.
Harden, who finished the game with 20 points, 11 assists and six rebounds, added another 3-pointer in the third quarter, giving him 2,975 in his career as he helped the Clippers beat the Jazz 116-105.
Harden, not exactly known as a shooter of the caliber of Allen and Curry, has long played the numbers game when it comes to 3-pointers, he's hoisted early and often knows the analytics say he'll finish will win. over the course of his career, he averaged 7.5 3-point attempts per game, while his best was 13.2 per game Houston Rockets.
In contrast, Allen averaged 5.7 long ball attempts in his career, with a high of 8.4. Allen totaled 3-pointers on 7,429 attempts, while Harden needed 8,187.
The 35-year-old Harden hasn't always been the most aesthetically pleasing player, but his accomplishments are undeniable: MVP, seven-time All-NBA, ten-time All-Star, three-time scoring champion and member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. He will be able to add the Hall of Famer to that list shortly after he decides to retire.
