James Harden vs. Matt Harpring Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Matt Harpring and James Harden, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Player comparisons:
Career comparison / Season by season

Who had the better rookie season? Who had best stats in their 10th season? Who won a championship first? These questions and many others, are answered here.

James Harden played 15 years in the NBA, 4 more than Matt Harpring, who played 11. James Harden had the first of his seasons in 2009-10, while Matt Harpring had his rookie season in 1998-99. With that starting point, here you can take a look at each of their seasons side by side and compare how their careers evolved in achivements, awards and championships won, the stats they recorded both in the Regular Season and the Playoffs and how their teams performed in the postseason.

Their Careers

Player
Total Seasons Playoffs Played NBA Years
James Harden 15 15 2009-10 to 2023-24
Matt Harpring 11 6 1998-99 to 2008-09

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15

Rookie Season

James Harden Matt Harpring
Season 2009-101998-99
Team Oklahoma City ThunderOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Achievement All-Rookie Second Team-
Playoffs Thunder Lost West Conf 1st RdMagic Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 76 22.9 9.9 0.6 2.6 3.2 1.8 1.1 0.3 1.4 2.6 3.1 7.6 .403 1.2 3.3 .375 2.6 3.2 .808
Matt Harpring 50 22.3 8.2 1.8 2.5 4.3 0.9 0.6 0.1 1.5 2.2 3.0 6.4 .463 0.2 0.5 .400 2.0 2.9 .713
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 6 20.0 7.7 0.2 2.3 2.5 1.8 1.0 0.2 0.5 2.3 2.0 5.2 .387 1.0 2.7 .375 2.7 3.2 .842
Matt Harpring 4 20.5 8.3 1.8 3.3 5.0 1.8 0.3 0.0 1.3 2.3 3.0 6.5 .462 0.3 1.3 .200 2.0 2.8 .727

Season 2

James Harden Matt Harpring
Season 2010-111999-00
Team Oklahoma City ThunderOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Thunder Lost West Conf FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 82 26.7 12.2 0.5 2.6 3.1 2.1 1.1 0.3 1.3 2.5 3.6 8.3 .436 1.4 4.0 .349 3.5 4.2 .843
Matt Harpring 4 15.8 4.0 1.3 1.8 3.0 2.0 1.3 0.3 0.3 1.8 1.0 4.3 .235 0.5 0.5 1.000 1.5 1.8 .857
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 17 31.6 13.0 0.6 4.8 5.4 3.6 1.2 0.8 1.6 2.8 3.9 8.2 .475 1.4 4.5 .303 3.9 4.7 .825
Matt Harpring ------- --- ----------

Season 3

James Harden Matt Harpring
Season 2011-122000-01
Team Oklahoma City ThunderCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement Sixth Man of the Year-
Playoffs Thunder Lost NBA FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 62 31.4 16.8 0.5 3.6 4.1 3.7 1.0 0.2 2.2 2.4 5.0 10.1 .491 1.8 4.7 .390 5.0 6.0 .846
Matt Harpring 56 28.8 11.1 1.6 2.7 4.3 1.8 0.8 0.3 1.6 2.9 4.3 9.4 .454 0.2 0.9 .250 2.4 2.9 .812
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 20 31.5 16.3 0.7 4.5 5.1 3.4 1.6 0.1 2.1 3.4 4.7 10.7 .435 1.6 3.9 .410 5.4 6.3 .857
Matt Harpring ------- --- ----------

Season 4

James Harden Matt Harpring
Season 2012-132001-02
Team Houston RocketsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st Rd76ers Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 78 38.3 25.9 0.8 4.1 4.9 5.8 1.8 0.5 3.8 2.3 7.5 17.1 .438 2.3 6.2 .368 8.6 10.2 .851
Matt Harpring 81 31.4 11.8 2.5 4.6 7.1 1.3 0.9 0.1 1.6 2.5 4.8 10.3 .461 0.3 0.9 .304 2.0 2.7 .743
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 6 40.5 26.3 0.8 5.8 6.7 4.5 2.0 1.0 4.5 3.0 7.5 19.2 .391 2.5 7.3 .341 8.8 11.0 .803
Matt Harpring 5 23.6 10.2 2.6 2.6 5.2 1.4 1.0 0.0 1.0 2.4 4.4 8.8 .500 0.0 0.0 - 1.4 1.8 .778

Season 5

James Harden Matt Harpring
Season 2013-142002-03
Team Houston RocketsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdJazz Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 73 38.0 25.4 0.8 3.9 4.7 6.1 1.6 0.4 3.6 2.4 7.5 16.5 .456 2.4 6.6 .366 7.9 9.1 .866
Matt Harpring 78 32.8 17.6 2.4 4.2 6.6 1.7 0.9 0.2 2.1 2.8 6.7 13.1 .511 0.8 2.1 .413 3.4 4.2 .792
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 6 43.8 26.8 0.8 3.8 4.7 5.8 2.0 0.2 3.5 3.5 8.3 22.2 .376 2.7 9.0 .296 7.5 8.3 .900
Matt Harpring 5 31.4 14.8 1.8 3.6 5.4 1.0 1.0 0.2 1.6 4.6 6.0 12.4 .484 0.2 1.4 .143 2.6 3.2 .813

Season 6

James Harden Matt Harpring
Season 2014-152003-04
Team Houston RocketsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 81 36.8 27.4 0.9 4.7 5.7 7.0 1.9 0.7 4.0 2.6 8.0 18.1 .440 2.6 6.9 .375 8.8 10.2 .868
Matt Harpring 31 36.6 16.2 2.9 5.0 8.0 2.0 0.7 0.1 2.1 3.3 6.2 13.2 .471 0.3 1.1 .242 3.5 5.1 .688
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 17 37.4 27.2 0.7 5.0 5.7 7.5 1.6 0.4 4.5 2.9 7.6 17.3 .439 2.4 6.3 .383 9.6 10.5 .916
Matt Harpring ------- --- ----------

Season 7

James Harden Matt Harpring
Season 2015-162004-05
Team Houston RocketsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 82 38.1 29.0 0.8 5.3 6.1 7.5 1.7 0.6 4.6 2.8 8.7 19.7 .439 2.9 8.0 .359 8.8 10.2 .860
Matt Harpring 78 33.1 14.0 2.5 3.6 6.2 1.8 0.9 0.2 1.7 3.2 5.4 11.0 .489 0.1 0.6 .209 3.1 4.0 .778
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 5 38.6 26.6 1.4 3.8 5.2 7.6 2.4 0.2 5.2 2.6 8.2 20.0 .410 2.6 8.4 .310 7.6 9.0 .844
Matt Harpring ------- --- ----------

Season 8

James Harden Matt Harpring
Season 2016-172005-06
Team Houston RocketsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Assists Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 81 36.4 29.1 1.2 7.0 8.1 11.2 1.5 0.5 5.7 2.7 8.3 18.9 .440 3.2 9.3 .347 9.2 10.9 .847
Matt Harpring 71 27.4 12.5 2.2 3.0 5.2 1.4 0.8 0.2 1.5 2.8 4.5 9.5 .475 0.2 0.5 .359 3.2 4.4 .725
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 11 37.0 28.5 0.6 4.8 5.5 8.5 1.9 0.5 5.4 3.9 8.2 19.8 .413 2.9 10.5 .278 9.2 10.5 .878
Matt Harpring ------- --- ----------

Season 9

James Harden Matt Harpring
Season 2017-182006-07
Team Houston RocketsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf FinalsJazz Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 72 35.4 30.4 0.6 4.8 5.4 8.8 1.8 0.7 4.4 2.3 9.0 20.1 .449 3.7 10.0 .367 8.7 10.1 .858
Matt Harpring 77 25.5 11.6 1.5 3.1 4.6 1.3 0.7 0.1 1.5 3.0 4.2 8.5 .491 0.2 0.5 .333 3.1 4.0 .767
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 17 36.5 28.6 0.8 4.4 5.2 6.8 2.2 0.6 3.8 2.7 9.3 22.6 .410 3.1 10.2 .299 6.9 7.8 .887
Matt Harpring 17 25.5 9.3 1.9 2.9 4.8 1.4 0.4 0.2 1.3 2.4 3.6 8.0 .456 0.0 0.2 .000 2.0 2.8 .723

Season 10

James Harden Matt Harpring
Season 2018-192007-08
Team Houston RocketsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf SemisJazz Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 78 36.8 36.1 0.8 5.8 6.6 7.5 2.0 0.7 5.0 3.1 10.8 24.5 .442 4.8 13.2 .368 9.7 11.0 .879
Matt Harpring 76 18.1 8.2 1.3 1.9 3.2 1.1 0.6 0.2 1.3 2.1 3.1 6.2 .500 0.0 0.1 .200 1.9 2.7 .712
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 11 38.5 31.6 0.8 6.0 6.8 6.6 2.2 0.9 4.6 3.7 9.9 24.0 .413 4.4 12.5 .350 7.5 8.9 .837
Matt Harpring 12 17.4 6.6 1.4 1.4 2.8 0.7 0.6 0.3 0.9 2.9 2.1 5.3 .397 0.1 0.3 .333 2.3 2.9 .800

Season 11

James Harden Matt Harpring
Season 2019-202008-09
Team Houston RocketsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf SemisJazz Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 68 36.5 34.3 1.0 5.5 6.6 7.5 1.8 0.9 4.5 3.3 9.9 22.3 .444 4.4 12.4 .355 10.2 11.8 .865
Matt Harpring 63 11.0 4.4 0.7 1.2 2.0 0.4 0.5 0.1 0.5 1.6 1.8 3.8 .461 0.0 0.0 .000 0.9 1.1 .764
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 12 37.3 29.6 1.0 4.6 5.6 7.7 1.5 0.8 3.8 3.6 9.1 19.0 .478 3.3 9.8 .333 8.2 9.7 .845
Matt Harpring 5 9.8 4.8 0.6 1.2 1.8 0.8 0.4 0.2 0.4 2.4 2.2 4.4 .500 0.0 0.2 .000 0.4 0.4 1.000

Season 12

James Harden Matt Harpring
Season 2020-21-
Team Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Nets Lost East Conf Semis-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 44 36.6 24.6 0.8 7.1 7.9 10.8 1.2 0.8 4.0 2.3 7.8 16.7 .466 2.8 7.6 .362 6.3 7.3 .861
Matt Harpring ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 9 35.8 20.2 0.8 5.6 6.3 8.6 1.7 0.7 2.9 2.6 5.7 12.0 .472 2.7 7.3 .364 6.2 6.9 .903
Matt Harpring ------- --- ----------

Season 13

James Harden Matt Harpring
Season 2021-22-
Team Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf Semis-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 65 37.2 22.0 0.8 6.8 7.7 10.3 1.3 0.6 4.4 2.4 6.3 15.3 .410 2.3 6.9 .330 7.2 8.2 .877
Matt Harpring ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 12 39.9 18.6 0.9 4.8 5.7 8.6 0.8 0.7 4.2 2.4 5.3 13.2 .405 2.3 6.3 .368 5.6 6.3 .893
Matt Harpring ------- --- ----------

Season 14

James Harden Matt Harpring
Season 2022-23-
Team Philadelphia 76ers-
Honors & Awards Achievement Assists Leader-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf Semis-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 58 36.8 21.0 0.7 5.4 6.1 10.7 1.2 0.5 3.4 1.9 6.4 14.5 .441 2.8 7.2 .385 5.4 6.2 .867
Matt Harpring ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 11 38.8 20.3 0.5 5.6 6.2 8.3 1.8 0.4 3.2 2.5 6.5 16.6 .393 2.8 7.5 .378 4.4 5.0 .873
Matt Harpring ------- --- ----------

Season 15

James Harden Matt Harpring
Season 2023-24-
Team Los Angeles Clippers-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Clippers Lost West Conf 1st Rd-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 72 34.3 16.6 0.5 4.7 5.1 8.5 1.1 0.8 2.6 1.8 4.9 11.4 .428 2.6 6.8 .381 4.2 4.8 .878
Matt Harpring ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 6 40.3 21.2 0.5 4.0 4.5 8.0 1.0 1.0 2.3 2.2 6.7 14.8 .449 3.0 7.8 .383 4.8 5.3 .906
Matt Harpring ------- --- ----------