Harden concedes he won’t pass Steph on NBA’s all-time 3-point list

Harden concedes he won’t pass Steph on NBA’s all-time 3-point list originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry revolutionized the game of basketball with his 3-point shooting, but even the next generation of hoopers he inspired likely won’t ever touch his most prestigious record.

Nor will any of the NBA’s current stars, including Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden, who passed Ray Allen for second on the league’s all-time 3-point list on Sunday against the Utah Jazz.

The 35-year-old Harden (2,975) trails the 36-year-old Curry (3,782) by 807 3-pointers entering Monday’s slate of games, and with both players likely nearing the end of their respective Hall of Fame careers at some point over the next few seasons, it’s highly, highly unlikely Harden will move any further up the 3-point list.

Even he knows it.

“I’m one of the most confident guys that we have in this league. But no. I probably won’t catch Steph,” Harden said when asked if he could pass Curry. “I don’t think anybody will, honestly … He can shoot the s–t outta the ball.

“And granted, a lot of these guys are on that list for [being] catch-and-shoot players, so they came off pindowns, they were spot shots or whatnot. Now, where the game has evolved, guys like Steph are coming off pindowns, he’s creating off isos, he’s coming off pick-and-rolls. So there’s so many different variables to be able to shoot the 3, make shots and do it at an efficient high level.

“So, somebody has to have an unbelievable career, shoot the ball well and make a lot of 3s. I mean, if it happens, it’s going to be when we’re not here anymore. So that’ll be in there for a minute.”

Game recognize game.

Outside of Curry and Harden, other active players near the top of the list include Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard (No. 4; 2,639, Dallas’ Klay Thompson (No. 6; 2,523), Los Angeles’ LeBron James (No. 8; 2,441) and Philadelphia’s Paul George No. 11; 2,267).

And none of them, including Harden, likely will come close to touching Curry’s record.

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