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James Harden’s Place Among Most Prolific Free-Throw Shooters Ever

By Mark Vandeusen

Nov 6, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) attempts a free throw during the third quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Toyota Center. The Rockets defeated the Spurs 98-81. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 6, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) attempts a free throw during the third quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Toyota Center. The Rockets defeated the Spurs 98-81. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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On Monday night, James Harden and the Houston Rockets defeated the Indiana Pacers 110-100.  Harden posted an outstanding stat line of 44 points, four rebounds, sevens assists, two blocks and two steals.  But, his most impressive numbers came at the free-throw line, where he knocked down 21-of-22 attempts.

Combined with a trio of three-pointers, Harden was able to score his 44 points despite making only 10 field goals.  Along with Kevin Durant, Harden became just the second NBA player in more than 30 years (and third ever) to pull off such a feat.

What makes Harden’s foul shooting all the more impressive is that he managed a similar accomplishment just five days earlier:

In a victory over the Denver Nuggets on March 19, Harden scored 50 points while going 22-for-25 at the free-throw line.  In that contest Harden connected on just 12 shots from the field (including four three-pointers), putting him on a list with only three other players ever to hit the 50-point mark with so few made field goals.

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As the tweet mentions, no one else in the league has made 20 free throws in a game this season.  Before last week, it hadn’t happened in the NBA since Dec. 26, 2013.  The guy who did it on that day?  Also Harden.

In the past five years, just five players have hit 20 or more foul shots in a game: Harden, Durant, Deron Williams, Chris Bosh and Dwight Howard (more on Howard later).  Harden’s most recent 20-FT game was the 101st time it’s ever happened (going back to 1963-64 when Basketball-Reference.com began keeping track).

His 21-of-22 free-throw effort Monday ranks among the greatest single-game foul shooting performances in league history.  Only 25 times before has a player hit 20 or more free throws while missing one or fewer.  Harden’s .955 percentage is one of the top 20 ever recorded in a 20-FT game.

As far as total number of free throws made in a single game goes, Harden has come within six of the all-time NBA record.  On Jan. 4, 1984, Adrian Dantley nailed 28-of-29 foul shots to lead his Utah Jazz past the Rockets.

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    • Dantley actually owns three of the four most prolific free-throw shooting games ever.  He also hit 27 on Nov. 25, 1983, and 26 on Halloween night in 1980.  The only other player to make as many as 26 foul shots in a game is Michael Jordan, on Feb. 26, 1987.

    Next on the list is Howard, who made 25 on March 12, 2013.  A career 57 percent free-throw shooter, Howard actually took 39 attempts that day, the most ever on record.  It was the second time he’d reached that mark in his career.

    On Jan. 12, 2012, Howard went 21-for-39, a rather embarrassing display, but still much better than the 8-for-30 (.267) showing put forth by Wilt Chamberlain on Dec. 1, 1967.

    Back to Harden, the Rockets’ guard has hit a total of 606 foul shots this season, far and away the most in league.  The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Russell Westbrook is second with 448, less than 75 percent of Harden’s number.  Rudy Gay of the Sacramento Kings ranks among the top 10 with 303 free throws made, exactly half of Harden’s total.

    The Rockets have 12 games remaining.  At his current pace of roughly 8.8 per game, Harden is on track to finish the year with 711 made free throws, which would be the 14th-most all time.

    Next: Kyle Korver owns the greatest shooting season ever.

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