Harden breaks into the NBA’s all-time top 10 scorers

James Harden of the Los Angeles Clippers has become the newest member of the NBA’s top-10 all-time scoring list after dropping 34 points in his team’s 109–106 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

At 36 years old, Harden needed 20 points to reach 28,289 career points. He came out firing, scoring 19 before halftime, then officially passed retired star Carmelo Anthony — the previous holder of the No. 10 spot — with four minutes remaining in the third quarter. Harden finished the night with 34 points and six assists.

Three active players now appear on the NBA’s top-10 scoring list: Harden with 28,303 points, Kevin Durant (Houston Rockets) in eighth place with 31,051 points, and record-holder LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers, who has climbed to 42,268 points. James, nearing his 41st birthday, surpassed the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387 points) at the start of 2023.

Harden is currently in his 17th NBA season and previously led the league in scoring for three straight years (2017–18 through 2019–20). He also holds the single-game scoring record for two franchises: 55 points with the Clippers on November 22 against the Charlotte Hornets, and 61 points with the Houston Rockets in 2019.

Despite his prolific scoring and the major offensive impact he has had on every team he has played for, Harden — famous for his trademark beard — has yet to win an NBA championship. He was also unable to rescue the Clippers from their difficult start to the season, as the team slid to 14th place in the Western Conference following the loss to Minnesota. This came despite the Clippers leading by as many as 18 points before being overwhelmed by the Timberwolves, led by Jaden McDaniels (27 points) and Julius Randle (24 points).

Harden began his NBA career with the Oklahoma City Thunder from 2009 to 2012, moved to the Houston Rockets until 2021, then spent one season with the Brooklyn Nets before joining the Philadelphia 76ers for another year. He arrived at the Los Angeles Clippers two seasons ago.

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