By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Charles Barkley slid one spot down the NBA’s all-time scoring list Tuesday night, with Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden passing him for the 27th spot. Harden entered the Sixers’ game against the Sacramento Kings at home needing just 14 more points to tie Barkley on the list and 15 to gain solo possession of the No. 27 position.
Harden would finish the meeting with the Kings with 21 points on 7-for-13 shooting from the floor. He could have had more points if he wasn’t so unselfish, as he also recorded a total of 15 assists to go with seven rebounds and five steals in 36 minutes of action.
Barkley looked just a bit heartbroken when he learned that Harden had successfully knocked him off the 27th spot, but his co-hosts on Inside The NBA didn’t seem to feel that way, as they hilariously joked about the Hall of Famer moving down a notch on the all-time scoring list.
It will not be long before Barkley would get to see another active NBA player pass by him on the list, with Los Angeles Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook entering Tuesday just 98 points behind the former Sixers forward. Westbrook scored 20 points in Tuesday’s loss to the Boston Celtics in LA, so Barkley’s lead is now down to 78. It’s possible that Westbrook manages to pass Barkley on the list by next week.