Why Draymond believes Harden deserves top spot on NBA 3-point list

Why Draymond believes Harden deserves top spot on NBA 3-point list originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green believes James Harden, not his Warriors teammate Steph Curry, deserves the No. 1 spot on the NBA’s all-time 3-point list — but not for the reasons one might think.

Earlier this month, Harden spoke to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania about being just 34 triples away from surpassing Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Ray Allen for second on the list — only behind Curry.

“Listen here, I’m going to consider myself No. 1. Steph don’t count,” Harden said.

A few days later, Harden knocked down his 2,975th trey to officially move to second on the all-time list, but the Los Angeles Clippers star trails Curry’s 3,782 3-pointers and counting. But Green dove deeper into Harden’s comments and shared an interesting response.

“I know exactly what [Harden] was saying when he said it,” Green said on “The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis.” “What he was saying in that moment was, and I agree with him wholeheartedly, because I look at the list and think the same thing. James Harden is a Steph Curry away from being the best 3-point shooter we’ve ever seen in the NBA.

“But Steph is so far ahead of everyone else that James was saying like, ‘No man, don’t even put him in this category. Just let me be No. 1 in this category because what he does is something totally different than any of us have ever seen, any of us may ever see again — so I’m no. 1.’ I wholeheartedly actually agree with James. Steph is not No. 1. Steph is on another stratosphere. He’s in a totally different place. There’s Steph and then there’s 3-point shooting.”

Valid.

Curry, of course, single-handedly changed the game with his elite and mind-blowing 3-point abilities.

Even after Harden leaped over Allen, the 35-year-old confessed he likely won’t pass Curry.

“I’m one of the most confident guys that we have in this league. But no. I probably won’t catch Steph,” Harden said Sunday. “I don’t think anybody will, honestly … He can shoot the s–t outta the ball.

“And granted, a lot of these guys are on that list for [being] catch-and-shoot players, so they came off pindowns, they were spot shots or whatnot. Now, where the game has evolved, guys like Steph are coming off pindowns, he’s creating off isos, he’s coming off pick-and-rolls. So there’s so many different variables to be able to shoot the 3, make shots and do it at an efficient high level.

“So, somebody has to have an unbelievable career, shoot the ball well and make a lot of 3s. I mean, if it happens, it’s going to be when we’re not here anymore. So that’ll be in there for a minute.”

It’s safe to say Curry is only in competition with himself at this point. And both he — and Green — congratulated Harden for the incredible accomplishment.

“James is No. 1 and it’s well deserved,” Green said. ” … I got a lot of love and respect for what James has done in this league. To have those battles with him has been special. Shoutout to James, congrats, my bro.”

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