MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — James Harden moved into 10th place on the NBA’s career scoring list Saturday, passing Carmelo Anthony during the Los Angeles Clippers' loss to Minnesota.
Harden was 20 points behind Anthony’s 28,289 career points entering the game. Harden hit a pair of free throws in the third quarter to move ahead of the Hall of Famer.
"Blessing. A testament to the work I’ve put in,” Harden said. “It's an honor, especially with somebody like Melo who's done so much greatness for this league.”
Harden finished with 34 points on 10-for-18 shooting, but missed a tying 3-point attempt at the buzzer as the Clippers lost 109-106 after leading by 18 in the first half.
The 17-year veteran is averaging 26.5 points this season, his highest average since he led the league with 34.3 per game for the Houston Rockets in the 2019-20 season.
Next on the list ahead of Harden is Shaquille O’Neal, who scored 28,596 points during his Hall of Fame career.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) steals the ball against the Atlanta Hawks during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) stands during the national anthem before an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Atlanta Hawks coach Quinn Snyder believes fifth-year forward Jalen Johnson is still a work in progress. If he’s right, it’s a terrifying prospect for opponents.
Johnson continued his emergence with his second triple-double in two nights Saturday, finishing with 30 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in a 131-116 win over the Washington Wizards.
It was his fourth of a season in which every one of those performances has been needed as the Hawks manage without four-time All-Star Trae Young, who has been out since late October with a sprained right MCL.
Johnson is averaging 23.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists, all significant improvements from a 2024-25 campaign that was easily his best.
“It’s reflective of a guy that’s done a lot of work that we need to make a lot of plays for us,” Snyder said of Johnson. “The triple-doubles, like the statistics, are great. But he wants to win and there’s more there. He can continue to become more efficient, because we need him to be that.”
Both Friday and Saturday’s performances were historic.
In Friday’s 134-133 home loss to Denver, he recorded the second-fastest triple-double in NBA history, reaching the threshold in only 16:44. (Denver’s Nikola Jokic holds the record of 14 minutes, 33 seconds.)
Saturday, he became only the second Hawks player ever with triple-doubles on both ends of a back-to-back, after Bob Sura did it on April 9 and 10, 2004.
“Yesterday was cool, but tonight was more important because we got the win,” Johnson said. “So I think that’s what makes it better. But it was just a great group effort and like I said before, it’s just a product of my teammates hitting shots and everybody making the game much easier for me.”
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) dribbles the ball against Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie, left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) shoots against Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (7) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) goes to the basket against Washington Wizards forwards Justin Champagnie (9) and Tristan Vukcevic (00) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie (9) fouls Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
