James Harden Risks $25,000 Walking Forbidden NBA Territory After Historic Milestone In Hawks Stinger

The recent faceoff between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Atlanta Hawks did not go as many would have expected. The Clippers held all the cards: they were playing on their home turf, they had James Harden back and the Hawks were without their star player Trae Young. Despite possessing some of the best odds an NBA team could possess, the Clippers could not catch up to their rivals and ended up losing by a score of 93-110.

In the game’s aftermath, fans were looking for an answer to this unexpected loss. According to a social media update by Clutchpoints journalist Tomer Azarly, Kawhi Leonard put out a statement stating “We didn’t really give all the effort that we could have gave.” Paul George also provided a clarification, stating “We want to be a team that’s consistent and we want to establish an identity… Right now I don’t think we have an identity.” While the two small forwards readily gave out an explanation, James Harden, who created a new record on the all-time points list, was probably not ready to do the same. Azarly’s post also highlighted that “James Harden left without speaking to media after the Clippers loss.”

Through this action, James Harden may risk getting imposed with a $25,000 fine, since the same has been imposed on other players who chose to skip pressers. A notable example occurred during the previous season, when Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler was imposed a 25k fine for “failure to participate in required media availability”. Such instances have been taking place for quite some time now. Kyrie Irving received a similar fine back in 2020 for skipping his scheduled appearance during ‘media week’ and instead choosing to issue a statement.

James Harden adds a new record on the All-Time Scoring List

James Harden delivered one of his most unimpressive performances during the recent faceoff. He only managed to secure 9 points, 6 rebounds and 9 assists to his name. Despite this, the game brought his all-time points total to 25,730 points. This allowed him to surpass former league player Vince Carter and assume the 20 place on the NBA’s All Time-Points list.

Harden’s achievement could be attributed to the remarkable on-court performances that the player has been delivering since the past 15 years. While the player found some early success during his first 3 years with Oklahoma, it was only after he transitioned to the Rockets when he reached his peak form. For three consecutive seasons, between 2017 and 2020, Harden’s average continued to remain at 30+ points and 7+ assists. His average has dropped since then, with the player only scoring 17.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 8.3 assists during the current season.

James Harden still has a couple of years remaining before he officially considers retirement. Till then, fans will hope that the player continues to score highly and avoids fine bearing situations.

READ MORE: “Need Russ”: Fans Cry For Injured Clippers Star’s Help As James Harden Meltdown Continues Vs Hawks