Mikal Bridges vs. James Harden Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of James Harden and Mikal Bridges, 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 / Scoring / Stats / Stats Rankings / Games against each other

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.

Mikal Bridges played 7 years in the NBA, 9 less than James Harden, who played 16. Mikal Bridges had the first of his seasons in 2018-19, while James Harden had his rookie season in 2009-10. 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 achievements, 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
Mikal Bridges 7 4 2018-19 to 2024-25
James Harden 16 16 2009-10 to 2024-25

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7

Rookie Season

Mikal Bridges James Harden
Season 2018-192009-10
Team Phoenix SunsOklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie Second Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayThunder Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges 82 29.5 8.3 0.7 2.5 3.2 2.1 1.6 0.5 0.9 2.5 3.0 6.9 .430 1.3 3.8 .335 1.2 1.4 .805
difference:+6+6.6+1.6+0.1+0.1+0.3+0.5+0.2-0.5-0.1+0.1+0.7+.027+0.1+0.5+.040+1.4+1.8+.003
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges DNP------ --- ----------
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

Season 2

Mikal Bridges James Harden
Season 2019-202010-11
Team Phoenix SunsOklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayThunder Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges 73 28.0 9.1 0.9 3.1 4.0 1.8 1.4 0.6 1.0 2.2 3.4 6.6 .510 1.0 2.7 .361 1.4 1.7 .844
difference:+9+1.3+3.1+0.4+0.5+0.9+0.3+0.3+0.3-0.3-0.3+0.2+1.7+.074+0.4+1.3+.012+2.1+2.5+.001
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges DNP------ --- ----------
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

Season 3

Mikal Bridges James Harden
Season 2020-212011-12
Team Phoenix SunsOklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards -Achievement Sixth Man of the Year
Playoffs Suns Lost NBA FinalsThunder Lost NBA Finals
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges 72 32.6 13.5 1.1 3.2 4.3 2.1 1.1 0.9 0.8 1.6 5.0 9.3 .543 1.9 4.4 .425 1.5 1.8 .840
difference:+10+1.2+3.3+0.6+0.4+0.2+1.6+0.1+0.7-1.4-0.8+0.8+.052+0.1+0.3+.035+3.5+4.2+.006
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges 22 32.1 11.1 0.9 3.4 4.3 1.6 1.0 0.7 0.7 1.9 4.2 8.6 .484 1.6 4.3 .368 1.1 1.3 .893
difference:+2+0.6+5.2+0.2+1.1+0.8+1.8+0.6+0.6-1.4-1.5+0.5+2.1+.049+0.4+.042+4.3+5.0+.036
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

Season 4

Mikal Bridges James Harden
Season 2021-222012-13
Team Phoenix SunsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf SemisRockets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges 82 34.8 14.2 0.9 3.3 4.2 2.3 1.2 0.4 0.8 1.8 5.6 10.5 .534 1.4 3.8 .369 1.6 1.9 .834
difference:+4+3.5+11.7+0.1+0.8+0.7+3.5+0.6+0.1-3.0-0.5+1.9+6.6+.096+0.9+2.4+.001+7.0+8.3+.017
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges 13 38.5 13.3 0.9 3.8 4.7 2.8 1.1 1.0 0.8 2.4 5.1 10.6 .478 1.0 2.5 .394 2.2 2.3 .933
difference:+7+2.0+13.0+0.1+2.0+2.0+1.7+0.9-3.7-0.6+2.4+8.6+.087+1.5+4.8+.053+6.6+8.7+.130
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

Season 5

Mikal Bridges James Harden
Season 2022-232013-14
Team Phoenix Suns, Brooklyn NetsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Nets Lost East Conf 1st RdRockets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges 83 35.7 20.1 1.0 3.4 4.4 3.3 1.1 0.7 1.5 1.9 7.1 15.3 .468 2.0 5.3 .382 3.8 4.3 .895
difference:+10+2.3+5.3+0.2+0.5+0.3+2.8+0.5+0.3-2.1-0.5+0.4+1.2+.012+0.4+1.3+.016+4.1+4.8+.029
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges 4 39.3 23.5 0.5 4.8 5.3 4.0 0.5 0.5 2.0 1.3 8.3 19.3 .429 2.5 6.3 .400 4.5 5.8 .783
difference:+2+4.5+3.3+0.3+1.0+0.6+1.8+1.5+0.3-1.5-2.2+2.9+.053+0.2+2.7+.104+3.0+2.5+.117
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

Season 6

Mikal Bridges James Harden
Season 2023-242014-15
Team Brooklyn NetsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayRockets Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges 82 34.8 19.6 0.8 3.7 4.5 3.6 1.0 0.4 2.0 1.4 6.9 15.8 .436 2.7 7.2 .372 3.1 3.9 .814
difference:+1+2.0+7.8+0.1+1.0+1.2+3.4+0.9+0.3-2.0-1.2+1.1+2.3+.004+0.1+0.3+.003+5.7+6.3+.054
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges DNP------ --- ----------
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

Season 7

Mikal Bridges James Harden
Season 2024-252015-16
Team New York KnicksHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf FinalsRockets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges 82 37.0 17.6 0.9 2.3 3.2 3.7 0.9 0.5 1.6 1.5 7.2 14.4 .500 2.0 5.6 .354 1.2 1.4 .814
difference:+1.1+11.4+0.1+3.0+2.9+3.8+0.8+0.1-3.0-1.3+1.5+5.3+.061+0.9+2.4+.005+7.6+8.8+.046
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges 18 39.2 15.6 1.1 3.4 4.5 2.9 1.7 0.9 2.1 2.2 6.7 14.6 .456 1.6 4.7 .333 0.7 0.9 .750
difference:+13+0.6+11.0+0.3+0.4+0.7+4.7+0.7+0.7-3.1-0.4+1.5+5.4+.046+1.0+3.7+.023+6.9+8.1+.094
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

Additional Years

* James Harden played 9 seasons more than Mikal Bridges in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 8 to 16, from 2017 to 2025—James Harden played in 9 Playoffs.

In those 9 extra years over Mikal Bridges, James Harden got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 1 Season MVP
Achievement 4 All-NBA First Team
Achievement 1 All-NBA Third Team
Achievement 3 Scoring Leader
Achievement 2 Assists Leader
Achievement 7 All-Star Game