Stephen Curry and James Harden both made it into the NBA as lottery picks in the 2009 Draft. They’ve risen as the only two players from that draft to win an MVP, as the pair also shared a heated Western Conference rivalry during the mid-to-late 2010s.
After the Warriors loss to the Clippers last night, Curry reflected on his rivalry with Harden.
“Ultimate respect. We’re the same draft class, a lot of battles back and forth, the fact that we’re still doing it. We don’t spend much time together off the court but there’s always a smile when I see a guy like that because we both know how much it takes to perform at the level, we’ve been there for so long. None of us want to see it go away.”
Steph has the "ultimate respect" for Harden 💯 pic.twitter.com/KfJCRlPDOi
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) December 15, 2023
Harden crossed 25,000 career points during his wonderful outing against the Warriors, where he scored 28 points and led the Clippers to the win. Curry reacted to this achievement, prompting his ruminations of the wars the pair have shared on the court.
“These milestones remind us how dope it is to do what we do, and at the level that we do it. When I heard it during the game, I kinda took a second because it’s nice and cool to reflect on the journey. But I still want to go out there and beat him, and he wants to beat me. Until it’s all said and done, that’s my competition.”
Harden was arguably the biggest competitor to the Warriors in the three years they had Kevin Durant on the roster from 2017 to 2019. Harden’s Houston Rockets faced the Warriors in 2018 and 2019, with the 2018 series being the only seven-game series that iteration of the Warriors ever played. Unfortunately, Harden never succeeded and is still looking for his first championship. Draymond Green even said that the Warriors would’ve beaten the Rockets every year even if Durant never joined.
James Harden Couldn’t Win A Ring Because Of Stephen Curry
James Harden has been trying to win a ring for his entire career, even making the Finals as a third-year player in 2012. He wasn’t the man on the OKC Thunder roster he was on at the time, finding his wings in Houston and making them a bonafide contender for half a decade. Unfortunately, the Warriors ended their two most promising championship years in 2018 and 2019.
The 2018 loss will always haunt Harden and the Rockets, as they were up 3-2 on what many believe is the greatest team ever assembled, but managed to blow a massive lead in Game 6 and then miss 27 consecutive three-pointers in Game 7. Even with the shooting catastrophe, the Rockets only lost by single digits.
Harden also played Curry’s Warriors in the 2016 Playoffs and managed to take a game off the franchise coming off 73 wins in the regular season, but the Rockets were in no position to compete.
In 20 playoff games, Harden averaged 29.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6.0 assists against Curry. Curry averages 25.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in those games while boasting a winning record of 14-6.
This could change this year if the Clippers and Warriors make the playoffs. The Clippers are 11-3 in their last 14 and look capable of doing so, but Curry’s Warriors are 4-10 in that same span, showing that the tides may have finally turned in this rivalry.
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