James Harden is having a stellar season at age 35. He recently moved to 12th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. Harden has now scored 27,316 points in his career after accumulating 25 points last night against the Atlanta Hawks. Among active players, Harden trails LeBron James (41,924) and Kevin Durant (30,344), who are first and eighth, respectively. Harden has moved up the scoring ranks at an impressive rate since the start of the season.
the Harden way 😤
James Harden surpassed Elvin Hayes for sole possession of 12th place on the @NBA‘s all-time points list.@CoorsLight | #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/Jcp9jZxWFF
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) March 15, 2025
James Harden Continues to Make History
The historic season continues for the Clippers All-Star as Harden moves past Elvin Hayes in regular season points. Harden was in the top 20 very early into the season and has already surpassed some incredible Hall of Famers. Names like Hakeem Olajuwon (14th), Oscar Robertson (15th), and Tim Duncan (17th).
At this pace, Harden may reach 11th by the end of March, as he’s 93 points away from Moses Malone. As for next season, James Harden should move into the top 10 in all-time scoring if he continues to play as he does. Carmelo Anthony (28,289) and Shaquille O’Neal (28,586) are the next two players in front of Harden. The road to 30,000 points is going to be quite a stretch as it would potentially take two seasons. Considering Harden is about to complete year 16, the question is how long he can keep up his scoring efforts.
Throughout the season, Harden has become the leader for the Clippers since October. Having played almost every game for Los Angeles so far, Harden has been leaned on more by the team. Harden’s averages have been rock solid in his 16th season, with 22.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 8.7 assists which ranks fifth in the NBA.
The scoring has been brought to a different level in the past few games as well, averaging 26.2 over the last ten games. Harden is increasingly showing his scoring abilities once again, as the playoffs are right around the corner. It will be crucial for the Clippers to have both Harden and Kawhi Leonard at the top of their game. As the one-two punch for LA, their superstars can show up when the lights are the brightest. However, the rest of the team must step up in big-time situations to be successful in the playoffs.
How Harden’s Leadership is Bringing the Clippers Together
Harden’s leadership has brought this team closer together throughout the course of the long season. The team’s newest member, Bogdan Bogdanovic, mentioned in a post-game interview how Harden has done as the leader. After a 119-104 victory against the Miami Heat a few nights ago, Bogdanovic credits Harden for his dedication and influence.
“He leads by example, and we follow… an amazing competitor. He’s pushing the best out of me, and he’s just trying to compete and win every single game.”
The Clippers are currently in a play-in position and eighth in the West at 37-30. With about a month left in the season, Harden and the Clippers have some ground to make up. LA faces a challenging schedule ahead, with three of those games against the best teams in the NBA. Two games against the Cleveland Cavaliers and a home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder should test the Clippers before playoff time.
Photo credit: © Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
