Kevin Durant sends Clippers' James Harden a heartfelt message after passing Ray Allen
11/18/2024 12:01 AM
Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant sent James Harden a heartfelt message after passing Ray Allen in career three-pointers. “The Beard” hit his 2,974 field goal from behind the arc in the Clippers’ win against the Utah Jazz, surpassing the hall-of-fame sharpshooter for second all-time in this stat. Harden and Durant were teammates on the Oklahoma City Thunder and Brooklyn Nets for four years and have remained close friends throughout their legendary careers.
“KD” showed the ultimate respect by congratulating his former teammate on this accomplishment via video. Durant did this while reacting to an old highlight of him getting an assist on Harden’s first career three-pointer.
“Congrats JH on reaching an amazing accomplishment. All the work that you put in has paid off. You inspire so many people around the world with how you play. Been a great teammate and a great friend. I love you, brother. Keep grinding.”
James Harden’s legendary career is still going on strong with the Clippers
Harden is in his 16th year in the NBA and now only trails Stephen Curry in total three-point field goals. While the Clippers’ star will likely not pass the Warriors’ legend, this is an extraordinary achievement for a player who was never seen as a three-point specialist. For his career, Harden is a 36.3% shooter from distance on 7.5 attempts per game. We may never know how many of those threes were contested stepbacks, Harden’s signature shot throughout his career.
The 35-year-old is still a quality player in the league as coach Ty Lue’s starting point guard. While Harden is off to a slow start efficiency-wise, he still averages 20.7 points, 8.3 assists, and 8 rebounds a game. “The Beard” leads a team trying to stay afloat while waiting for Kawhi Leonard to get healthy. The Clippers sit at 7-7 and are tied for tenth in the Western Conference.
Harden was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers from the Philadelphia Sixers at the beginning of last season. The legendary point guard has been a key addition to a franchise that looked prime for the one seed in the Western Conference at certain points last year. Ty Lue’s team unfortunately struggled with injuries and finished fourth in the West, falling in the first round to the Dallas Mavericks.
Ultimately, Paul George’s decision to sign with the Sixers in free agency has put the Clippers in a weird spot this year. The franchise signed its two remaining stars, Harden and Leonard, to extensions while opening up a new arena in Inglewood.
Clippers shooting guard Norman Powell is LA’s leading scorer at 23.6 points per game, and Ivica Zubac has been one of the best centers in the league through the first 14 games. This team is successfully treading water as it waits to get healthy. If Leonard does return and is in form, the Clippers will be a dangerous opponent going forward.
Despite tonight’s accomplishment, James Harden is still playing like he has something to prove, and that’s scary for the rest of the NBA.
The post Kevin Durant sends Clippers’ James Harden a heartfelt message after passing Ray Allen appeared first on ClutchPoints.
