What unfolded could easily be described as The James Harden Experience in action.
During a crucial 22-second stretch in overtime of Game 5 in the Eastern Conference semifinals versus Detroit on Wednesday evening, Harden displayed his full range for Cleveland — converting one free throw while missing another, swatting away a shot, grabbing a rebound, and committing a turnover.
The veteran guard remained unshaken throughout the sequence, which perfectly captures his character.
“He never wavered,” said Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson. “He has a bad game, good game, you can’t even tell. So, I think his mentality — he’s seen so much, been through so many of these series — he’s a heck of a leader.”
Cleveland’s decision to acquire Harden through a trade three months earlier was based on his ability to elevate their toughness and playoff readiness. Early results suggest their strategy is working.
With the veteran who has reached the postseason in all 17 of his NBA campaigns leading the way, Cleveland sits just one victory from advancing to the East finals. A win against Detroit in Game 6 on Friday night at home would secure their spot. Notably, Harden’s strongest three performances of the series have come in the most recent games — all Cleveland victories.
“He’s a pro’s pro,” said Cavaliers guard Max Strus following the Game 5 victory, where Harden topped all scorers with 30 points despite struggling through the final periods, connecting on just one of his last eight field goal attempts in the fourth quarter and overtime.
“He shows up every single day,” Strus continued. “He puts (an) amount of work in. You don’t become one of the best players the game has ever seen without showing up every single day. I think that’s one thing that I’ve noticed from him is the consistency, whether that’s in the weight room, whether that’s in taking care of your body, whether it’s in getting shots up. He’s a Hall of Famer in that regard and that’s why he is who he is — because he consistently puts in the work.”
Statistical evidence demonstrates Harden’s importance to Cleveland’s postseason run:
— 5-1 when he scores at least 22 points (2-4 otherwise).
— 4-0 when he shoots at least 44% (3-5 otherwise).
— 5-0 when he has at least seven field goals (2-5 otherwise).
— 6-1 when he has at least three 3-pointers (1-4 otherwise).
The transition hasn’t been without challenges. Harden continues to struggle with turnovers, though this statistic can be misleading since primary ball handlers naturally commit more turnovers than role players. He stands three points shy of matching Stephen Curry for 10th place on the all-time playoff scoring list (a positive milestone), while sitting one turnover away from tying Shaquille O’Neal for second-most playoff turnovers since the current format began in 1984 (a less favorable distinction).
Harden faces heightened scrutiny compared to many players. This comes with the territory — 17 seasons in the league, 17 playoff appearances, substantial earnings, numerous individual accolades, yet no NBA championships. However, he deserves credit for adapting to a significantly different role in Cleveland than what he’s grown accustomed to over recent years.
“This is new for me. I’ve only been here two and a half months,” Harden explained. “So, the things that we are going through is all new.”
In Cleveland, he’s accepted a secondary role, serving as Robin to Donovan Mitchell’s Batman. Such transitions don’t happen overnight. Harden has worked to make this adjustment smoothly since arriving via trade — and Cleveland now stands one win from reaching the NBA’s final four for the first time since 2018 (and without LeBron James, their first appearance since 1992).
“I think we’re building in the right direction,” Harden said. “And throughout that process, there’s going to be some times where we don’t look as great, but I think overall we’ve all got the right mindset of wanting to help each other be better. And I think we’re finding that.”
