James Harden has a long list of iconic playoff moments, and one of his most memorable plays came early in his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder. In a perfect world, however, that play wouldn’t have happened. Now, 13 years later, Harden reveals the true details behind his unforgettable shot against the San Antonio Spurs.
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The 2012 Western Conference Finals featured the youthful Thunder against the veteran-led Spurs. Aside from OKC’s blowout win in Game 3, the rest was decided by single digits, with Game 5 being the perfect example.
Oklahoma City began the series down 0-2, losing both games in San Antonio. They eventually tied it up after protecting their home court in Games 3 and 4. The series shifted back to San Antonio for Game 5. In the closing moments, Harden had the ball with a chance to seal the game.
The Thunder held a 103-101 lead with under 35 seconds remaining, and a rookie Kawhi Leonard had the assignment of stopping Harden. The Thunder star pulled out a series of dribbles before draining a stepback three-pointer to give OKC a five-point lead. That cushion proved to be enough for the Thunder to gain a 3-2 lead in the series.
Harden revisited the play in an ESPN feature hosted by Omar Raja. He revealed that the original play wasn’t meant for him but for one of his superstar teammates.
“The play was actually supposed to be for [Kevin Durant],” Harden revealed. “But Kawhi was pressuring me, so I couldn’t make the pass. The clock was running down, and in that split second, I had to make a play.”
Harden’s three seasons with OKC pale in comparison to the rest of his career since he had yet to become ‘The Beard’ that fans know today. Regardless, that moment still remains high among his all-time favorites. “It’s probably one of the biggest shots in my early career,” Harden admitted.
That shot gave the Thunder an extreme boost heading back to Oklahoma City. It also took the entire life out of the Spurs since the win marked OKC’s third consecutive one. They took care of business in Game 6, advancing to the 2012 NBA Finals.
Of course, Harden left in that offseason to join the Houston Rockets, and the rest is history. Nonetheless, this shot remains etched in NBA lore. Over a decade later, the Thunder are back in the NBA Finals looking to finish the job Russell Westbrook, Durant, and Harden started.
