James Harden Passes Stephen Curry on All-Time List in Cavs' Game 6 Loss
The Cleveland Cavaliers hosted the Detroit Pistons in a massive Game 6 on Friday night, with the home team hoping to eliminate the No. 1 seed and move on to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Cade Cunningham and the Pistons had other plans, as they held a lead throughout most of the game, and at times by double digits. They went on to capture a decisive 115-94 victory behind Cunningham’s 21 points and Paul Reed’s 17 points off the bench.
With that, Detroit forced a decisive seventh game, where they’ll return home with a chance to win the series after falling behind 3-2. Despite the disappointing result, James Harden emerged as an early star, scoring some historic points.
Announcer Kevin Harlan shared that after one of The Beard’s buckets, he had officially moved past Stephen Curry to take over No. 10 on the NBA‘s All-Time Scoring List for the Playoffs.
More news:Kenny Smith Sounds Off on LeBron James Amid Lakers Rumors
At the time he achieved the milestone, he was at 4,148 points for the 10th spot on the list. He’d need another 300-plus points from there to pass NBA legend Jerry West for ninth on the list.
Harden ended Game 6 with 23 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the floor and 8-of-10 free threws. He also hauled in seven rebounds and gave out four assists.
He’ll have a chance to add more to his points total when the Cavs attempt to win Game 7 in Detroit on Sunday. Meanwhile, Curry didn’t make the playoffs this year, missing them by one play-in game win.
However, there’s still a door open for him to reclaim his spot on that all-time list, but the Warriors have decisions to make with their current roster. A lot will depend on what the Golden State does this offseason and how they perform after any big moves next season.
Will they keep Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green, or attempt to unload them with a draft pick or two in a significant trade?
A lot of speculation is swirling about the Warriors, including chatter about them bringing Giannis Antetokounmpo to their roster to pair with Curry, or possibly signing a superstar like LeBron James for another run at a championship before he retires.
If either of those moves were to happen, it would immediately put Golden State into the conversation as a serious contender in the Western Conference. It would also create more scoring opportunities for Curry in the regular season and postseason, as his superstar teammate drew double teams, allowing a kick-out to Chef Curry for threes.
More news:Lakers Predicted to Pick Explosive Guard After NBA Draft Combine
For more about the NBA, head over to Newsweek Sports.
2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 9:59 PM.