The Los Angeles Clippers are clicking now that James Harden is getting comfortable within the system after starting the season off as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers.
With Harden hitting his stride in a Clippers uniform, he’s gearing up to move up on the NBA’s All-Time scoring list to surpass a Los Angeles Lakers legend, Jerry West.
Harden nearly accomplished that feat as early as Wednesday night as the Clippers paid a visit to the Phoenix Suns. Amidst their 131-122 victory over the Suns, James Harden tallied 22 points. He needed 26 to surpass West’s 25,192 points.
While Harden will have to wait to move up, he won’t have to remain in the 24th spot for too long. On Friday, the Clippers are set to participate in the second matchup of a back-to-back set.
Harden and his teammates will go head-to-head with the New Orleans Pelicans. Barring a night off, Harden should advance to the 23rd spot on the list in the Big Easy.
When Harden surpasses the Hall of Famer, he’ll chase former Indiana Pacers star Reggie Miller. With 1,389 games under his belt, Miller has accounted for 25,279 points throughout the course of his career. Harden could soon pass Miller on the list as well.
At this point, Harden established himself as a future Hall of Famer. Prior to his runs with the Clippers and the Sixers, he was a standout reserve-turned-superstar out of Arizona State. After starring in a reserve role with the Oklahoma City Thunder for his first few seasons, Harden became an MVP-caliber player throughout a near-decade-long run with the Houston Rockets.
Following his time in Houston, Harden landed on the Brooklyn Nets for 36 games in 2020-2021 and 44 games the following year. During the 2021-2022 season, Harden was traded to the Sixers in the blockbuster deal that moved Philly’s former first-overall selection, Ben Simmons.
While with the Sixers, Harden appeared in 79 games during the regular season. He totaled 1,658 points during that stretch. After a controversial summer filled with tension and differences with the Sixers’ organization, Harden forced his way out. He was moved to the Clippers after the Sixers’ third regular season matchup.
It’s unclear what’s in store for Harden in the long term, as he’s set to become a free agent this summer. For the time being, the ten-time All-Star seems satisfied with his current situation on the Clippers, as they’ve achieved a 17-10 record since his arrival, winning all but two of their games since the start of December.
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