James Harden about to join Michael Jordan in elite territory

His Beardness is well on his way to meet His Airness in one of those awesome cluster of stats that only they could achieve.

After James Harden’s 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists in the Houston Rockets’ major blowout of the Knicks on Friday, Harden is now just 6 rebounds away from joining Michael Jordan as the only two players to total 2,700 points, 500 assist, and 500 rebounds in a season (H/T @RobKSports). More impressively, he’s just 48 points and 6 rebounds away from being the first and only player amassing 2,800 points, 500 assists, and 500 rebounds in a season.

If I was a bitter Rockets fan, I’d enter one of those “bUt All hE dOEs is SCorE” texts, but I won’t do that.

Both stats are attainable for the reigning MVP, though the former will be somewhat easier than the latter. The Rockets have two more games left in the season against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday. But depending on if the Rockets beat the Suns and what happens between the Nuggets and Trail Blazers on Sunday, we might not even see Harden against OKC with nothing at stake in the regular season finale.

Here’s some more fun stuff for you:

Harden is now the first player in NBA history to average at least 35 points and 7 assists in a season. The closest that any player has coming to 35 and 7 was Wilt Chamberlain at 36.9 points and 5 assists a game. Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Rick Barry all averaged under five assists their respective 35+ PPG season.

The Beard is also crushing Jordan’s points per 100 possessions at a rate of 48.3 points to Jordan’s 46.4 points. *Whispers* And doing it at two fewer attempts per game. Less than one point separates the second spot from the third spot and the third spot from the fourth.

There might be only two games left in the season, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there are a few more records to be broken on the horizon.