James Harden and Stephen Curry‘s careers have been interlinked since they both were selected in the 2009 NBA Draft. After countless matchups and rivalries between the pair, they faced off tonight as Harden’s Los Angeles Clippers defeated Curry’s Golden State Warriors 112-104.
After the game, Harden reflected on their rivalry with the media, revealing how he looks back on the last 15 years of the two competing against each other.
“It happened fast. I think just the prime of that Rockets situation going up against that dynasty was just like real. Something I don’t really look back on, I haven’t sat back and thought about it because I am still trying to accomplish things, but I had to really go up against a real dynasty. It’s special.”
“I’m overly excited and proud of what he’s accomplished in his career. It’s one of those things and stories we can talk about when we get older and retire.”
Since the 2009 NBA Draft, Harden has averaged 24.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 7.1 assists over his career. He’s won one MVP, three scoring titles, two assist titles, 10 All-Star appearances, and made seven All-NBA Teams.
He’s never won an NBA title but did make it to the NBA Finals in 2012 with the OKC Thunder, the team that drafted him. Harden has represented the Thunder, Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, and is now on the Clippers.
Stephen Curry has averaged 24.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.4 assists over his career and won two MVP awards, with one of them being the only unanimous MVP ever handed out in NBA history.
He’s a four-time champion, one-time Finals MVP, two-time scoring champion, 10 All-Star appearances, and 10 All-NBA teams. He’s spent his entire career with the Golden State Warriors, with many expecting him to retire as a one-club man.
Curry and Harden have had many battles over their career. In the regular season, Harden leads their matchup with 22 wins to Steph’s 16 wins. Harden averaged 22.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 6.9 assists in those battles while Curry put up 24.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.7 assists.
The Playoffs are a different story, with Curry dominating their matchup with four Playoff series from 2015 to 2019. Curry’s Warriors have always eliminated Harden from the Playoffs, with their head-to-head record being 14-6 in Curry’s favor.
Curry averaged 25.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in those battles while Harden carried a much bigger load and averaged 29.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6.0 assists.
It’s fair to say that Curry will be regarded as a better player than Harden when they both retire due to the incredible achievements Curry has to his name both as an individual and as the leader of a team. Harden might be the more dynamic individual player with his larger size and ability to score as well as make plays, but he’s never been able to convert his skills into championship success.
Tonight’s matchup between the pair ended in Harden’s favor, as his Clippers won while he put up 23 points, seven rebounds, and 11 assists. Curry had 18 points, four rebounds, and six assists but left the game injured and missed the entire fourth quarter bar 13 seconds of action.
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