Clippers' James Harden gets real on 'special' battles with Steph Curry
10/28/2024 02:32 PM
James Harden and Stephen Curry entered the NBA in 2009, and both players have had special careers. Harden, the No. 3 overall pick out of Arizona State, and Curry, the No. 7 pick out of Davidson, have faced each other 58 times over the last 16 years. The Los Angeles Clippers star, who’s already making history this season, was asked about what he thinks about all his battles against Curry and the Golden State Warriors, per SI’s Joey Linn.
"It happened fast. Just the prime of that Rockets situation going up against that dynasty was just like real. Something we’ll all look back on. I haven’t really sat back and thought about it because I’m 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."
Harden won the 2017-18 NBA MVP, but marquee team accomplishments have eluded him. The 10-time NBA All-Star has only made the NBA Finals once, back in 2012 while still with the Oklahoma City Thunder. OKC eventually lost in five games to the Miami Heat.
Curry, a four-time NBA champion, holds the edge over Harden, winning 30-28 games, including 14-6 in the postseason.
Is there any legacy left for Harden to build with Clippers?
Now 35 years old, Harden’s best years are behind him and it’s hard to see a situation where Los Angeles seriously challenges for a title this year out of the Western conference. Teams like Oklahoma City, Dallas, Phoenix, Minnesota and Denver all seem more competitive. Even the Lakers look reinvigorated to start this latest season.
ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel released his latest NBA Power Rankings and has the Clips ranked No. 10, up eight spots from his preseason installment. He sees a tough team that is playing hard on both ends of the court.
“The Clippers are just a tough team, especially when it comes to their mental approach. While the numbers may not suggest this, LA pushed the pace a lot against the Suns and Nuggets to begin the season, and they had no problem slowing the game down with James Harden being able to get to the free-throw line. This team was built with athletes and two-way players, which is why the Clippers are going to be a tough team for anyone to wear down over 48 minutes.”
Los Angeles has a five-game homestead, hosting upcoming games against Portland, Phoenix, Oklahoma City, San Antonio and Philadelphia over the next week.
The post Clippers’ James Harden gets real on ‘special’ battles with Steph Curry appeared first on ClutchPoints.
