The Cleveland Cavaliers have had the same nagging issue in the backcourt ever since trading for Donovan Mitchell - the defense is not there.
Adding James Harden gave Cleveland more size at the guard positions, and he has undeniably improved the interior defense of the backcourt. For all of Harden's sloppiness on defense, he has natural strength that serves him well against slower, larger opponents. The Cavaliers have used this to their advantage this season, often assigning Harden to the opposing team's power forward on defense.
Still, teams are actively seeking a switch to get Harden isolated on the perimeter with a faster guard. The secondary target for a switch is Donovan Mitchell. With both guards being hunted by the offense, Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson often staggers their minutes on the court.
If the Cavs' long-standing issue is that the guards cannot play effectively together for most of the game, then a consistent answer may finally need to be implemented. Atkinson may finally need to play Harden off the bench and slot a bigger, faster wing next to Mitchell in the backcourt.
Mitchell and Harden perform better without each other
Currently, Mitchell's second-worst two-man lineup is himself and Harden at a -6.6 net rating in 118 minutes. With Sam Merrill, however, the duo has a 25.7 positive net rating in 101 minutes. Mitchell also has a 15.8 net rating with Jaylon Tyson in 65 minutes.
It's still early in the season, and as a whole the Cavs' starting lineup has a -20.1 net rating. The blame cannot be solely placed on Harden, and arguably none of it is. Harden has played well so far this season, albeit mostly in the second half of games. Harden is averaging 6.5 points in the first two quarters compared to 10.8 in the last two.
While Harden is performing better late in the game, Mitchell's scoring remains consistent throughout with just a slight lean towards the first half right now.
Additionally, Harden is one of the Cavaliers' best closers right now, outperforming Mitchell in the clutch. Mitchell has yet to connect on a three-pointer in clutch minutes and is shooting 66.7 percent on clutch free throws. Harden is not astronomically better, but he has clearly kept his composure better than his counterpart.
The Cavaliers are still trying to force Mitchell to play alongside a traditional point guard despite every data point arguing he plays better with a sharpshooting wing who can hide Mitchell's defensive lapses. Harden, one of the league's greatest passers in history, equally thrives with shooters and cutters more than he does with Mitchell. Harden's best net rating for a two-man lineup is with Tyrese Proctor and Sam Merrill - two quick wings who can handle the ball, shoot and defend.
Despite simple net rating numbers, the Cleveland Cavaliers know the reason why Harden has to start the game. He is not the MVP-caliber Harden anymore, but he holds much more offensive gravity than the counterparts mentioned here. Placing him on the bench may give the Cavaliers a more balanced option on paper, but the coaching staff knows the intangibles won't be in their favor.
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