Harden admits he won’t pass Steph on the NBA’s 3-point list

Harden admits he won’t pass Steph on the NBA’s 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 will likely never touch his most prestigious record.

Neither will any of the NBA’s current stars, including Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden, who on Sunday against the Utah Jazz passed Ray Allen for second place on the league’s 3-point list.

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

Even he knows it.

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

“And admittedly, a lot of those guys are on that list for (being) catch-and-shoot players, so they got out of pindowns, they were spot-up shots or whatever. Now that the game has evolved, guys like Steph off pindowns, he creates off isos, he comes off the pick-and-roll So there are so many different variables to being able to shoot the 3, make shots and do it at an efficient high level.

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

Games recognize games.

Outside of Curry and Harden, other active players near the top of the list are 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;

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

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast