Every shot carries dreams and sweat, and every trophy embodies countless times of hard work and perseverance. However, for some players, championship glory is always so close and yet out of reach. On June 19, Beijing time, a statistic made basketball fans sigh: as Celtics veteran Al Horford finally lifted the championship trophy this season, the player with the most playoff appearances and no championship title among the NBA's active players fell on the shoulders of James Harden.
Harden, the name on the basketball court represents the scoring machine, the unsolvable single skills, and the determination to hit the championship again and again. However, he has played in 166 playoff games so far, and has never been able to touch that supreme honor. After him, stars such as Chris Paul, George Hill, Russell Westbrook and Jimmy Butler are also chasing dreams that seem close at hand but far away.
Harden's journey to the playoffs has been full of twists and turns. He led the team to many great results during his time with the Houston Rockets, but he was repeatedly frustrated on the threshold of the Western Conference Finals; Transferred to the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, and Clippers, he teamed up with Durant, Irving, Embiid, Leonard, Paul George, Wei Shao and other superstars. Every failure has carved a deep trace in his heart, but it has also inspired him to be more determined to fight.
Today, Harden has made the most playoff appearances of any active non-championship player, a record that is backed by both his tireless efforts and the relentless manipulation of fate. But no matter what, Harden never gave up on the pursuit of a championship. In his eyes, every game is a new beginning, and every season can be a dream come true.
We look forward to the day when Harden can stand on the highest podium and use his strength and perseverance to earn that shining championship ring for himself." At that time, all the waiting and hard work will turn into the sweetest fruit, and all the regrets and unwillingness will disappear.