Kenny Atkinson had his praises towards James Harden's career milestone of scoring 29,000 points following the Cleveland Cavaliers' win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night.
Harden has been in the NBA since 2009, making his way up the ranks to become one of the greatest scorers the league has ever witnessed. Going into Cleveland's clash with Philadelphia, he scored 28,996 regular-season points throughout his career. He needed # points to reach the milestone of 29,000 points, getting closer to the legendary feat of 30,000 points.
Harden achieved the feat in flying colors throughout his 29 minutes of action. He finished with a stat line of 21 points, five rebounds, five assists, and one block. He shot 6-of-11 from the field, including 3-of-8 from beyond the arc, and 6-of-6 from the free-throw line.
Atkinson reacted to Harden's milestone after the game, via reporter Paris McGee Jr. The head coach described the moment as a testament to the veteran star's longevity as an elite scorer in the league.
“It’s a testament to his resiliency. It’s so hard in this league to do it for so long so consistently. This version we’re seeing of James, you don’t just think of scoring, I think of this complete player…when they announced it today, I was like in shock, 29,000 woah. Incredible,” Atkinson said.
Kenny Atkinson calls James Harden’s 29,000 career point milestone a testament to his longevity and elite-level resiliency.
Video: Paris McGee Jr, Clevelanddotcom pic.twitter.com/KNkEFrC6TV
— clevelanddotcom Cavs (@PDcavsinsider) March 10, 2026
How James Harden, Cavaliers played against 76ers
It's clear that Kenny Atkinson is proud to see James Harden continue to make history as one of the best veteran scorers in the league. He can now look forward to seeing Harden aim for the milestone of 30,000 points.
Six players scored in double-digits for Cleveland in the win over Philadelphia, including Harden. Keon Ellis proved to be a major spark off the bench with 19 points on 5-of-9 shooting overall, including 4-of-7 from downtown. Donovan Mitchell came next with 17 points and six assists, Evan Mobley had 15 points and eight rebounds, Dean Wade put up 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Jaylon Tyson provided 11 points.
Cleveland improved to a 40-25 record on the season, holding the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They are above the Toronto Raptors and the Orlando Magic while trailing the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics.
The Cavaliers will look forward to their next matchup, being on the road. They take on the Magic as tip-off will take place on March 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
