76ers’ James Harden Passes Reggie Miller for No. 3 on NBA’s All-Time 3PM List

AP Photo/Matt Slocum

Philadelphia 76ers star guard James Harden moved into third place on the NBA’s all-time three-pointers list in Thursday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets.

Harden surpassed Hall of Famer Reggie Miller with the first triple he made Thursday, which was the 2,561st of his career. Miller was in attendance as an analyst for TNT.

Harden had been struggling from beyond the arc in the season’s first half. In 44 games with the Nets before being traded to the Sixers, he shot just 33.2 percent from three-point range. But Harden has been more efficient since arriving to Philadelphia, connecting on his triples at a 44.8 percent clip.

Despite his high volume of attempts, Harden is a career 36.2 percent shooter from beyond the arc. His career-best percentage was 39.0 in his third year in the NBA with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

A 10-time All-Star, Harden is one of the best offensive players of his generation. His step-back jumper has caused headaches for opposing defenders, leading to the majority of his career three-pointers.

Since being acquired by the Sixers, Harden has averaged 24.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 12.4 assists in five games. He has quickly developed a strong chemistry with star center Joel Embiid, who is a front-runner in the MVP race.

The Sixers (40-24) have gone 5-0 with Harden in the lineup entering Thursday’s game. The matchup against Brooklyn is particularly interesting because it’s the first meeting since the two teams completed the trade that sent Harden to Philadelphia in exchange for Ben Simmons.

If the Nets make a late-season run, the teams could end up meeting in the first round of the playoffs.