Apr 29, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) stands on the court before game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Toronto Raptors at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Apr 29, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) stands on the court before game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Toronto Raptors at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Six years now since Kobe Bryant passed away, his legacy in the playoffs is still being compared with that of the best there ever was.
On Thursday night, James Harden, who has basically been criticized for not showing enough commitment on defense, did something that nobody really expected. He quietly slid past the Black Mamba on one of the game’s all-time most legendary postseason records.
James Harden officially moved into sixth place on the NBA’s all-time playoff steals list Thursday night, passing Kobe Bryant.
Apr 10, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) warms up before the game between the Rockets and the Lakers at the Toyota Center. Bryant plays in the last road game and second to last game of his NBA career. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 10, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) warms up before the game between the Rockets and the Lakers at the Toyota Center. Bryant plays in the last road game and second to last game of his NBA career. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
He extends his playoff career to 311 steals with his two steals against the New York Knicks, seeing that Bryant still only has 310.
What's more, the company Harden now keeps on that list makes the achievement all the more striking. A compilation of the most decorated winners in the history of the game.
LeBron is still ahead of all time with 506, with Scottie Pippen at 395, Michael Jordan at 376, Magic Johnson at 358, and John Stockton at 338. Harden is No. 6, just ahead of Bryant, Jason Kidd (302), Larry Bird (296), and Maurice Cheeks (295).
The milestone, however, was in a bitter loss. Harden scored 18 points and grabbed six rebounds and two assists around the clock, as Cleveland went on to fall 109-93 to fall 0-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Cavs will come back home with the intent of preventing elimination in this series. In the regular season, Cleveland averaged 119.5 points per game. They fired 9-of-35 from long-range in game 2.
More than a milestone moment, the Cavaliers need Harden. But there's a question that's never been answered that's sitting heavily on that need.
James Harden Has Everything Except an NBA Title
Harden was drafted No. 3 overall in 2009 and has compiled one of the most decorated individual careers in NBA history, yet he still has yet to win one trophy to define the term legacy.
He’s the 2018 league MVP. His career highs have 28,500 points, three scoring titles, two assists titles, 11 All-Star appearances, and then the whole NBA 75th Anniversary Team honor.
But still, even with all that personal brilliance, the Finals have been really tricky to grab. Harden has suited up for six franchises: Oklahoma City, Houston, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, the Clippers, and now Cleveland, playing over 180 career playoff games without a championship.
His only Finals experience was with the Thunder when he teamed up with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in 2012, suffering the defeat at the hands of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and the Miami Heat by a final score of 4-1.
Do you think James Harden can finally lead the Cavaliers to an NBA title? Comment down below!
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Written by
Utsav Gupta
Edited by
Utsav Gupta