James Harden will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Regardless of how some people may feel about him or his legacy, no one can deny that he's one of the greatest ball-handlers and scorers to ever lace them up.
He's known for many things. People will remember his pick-and-roll artistry, three-level scoring, and ability to get to the line when they think about him. What they won't do, however, is talk about how good of a defensive player he was.
Harden's defensive prowess -- or lack thereof -- has always been a talking point. That's not going to change in year 17. That's why some fans might be worried after watching the Boston Celtics pick on him over and over in a recent 109-98 loss for the Cavaliers.
James Harden's defense could be a huge problem in the playoffs
Harden's defense can be summed up in one thing: Try to swipe the ball out and hope for the best. He doesn't even care to get into a defensive stance, and he's going to give up blow-bys almost every time he's challenged.
That's clearly an issue in the playoffs. As much as he can provide as a scorer and a facilitator, no team can afford to go 4-on-5 on every defensive possession. Even in today's seemingly defenseless game, getting stops is what gets teams over the top in the postseason.
Harden has a -0.2 defensive box-plus-minus this season, per Basketball Reference. That's not that terrible, especially considering his career 0.8 DBPM. He also has a 117 defensive rating, which, compared to his 124 offensive rating, isn't too shabby, either.
Also, the Cavs now have Keon Ellis to make up for some of his defensive miscues. They can also get a switchable defender like Jaylon Tyson on the floor along with Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell, and they should do just fine on the defensive end of the court.
The Cavaliers could also explore staggering his minutes with Mitchell to ensure at least one good perimeter defender is on the floor at all times. That said, he was supposed to be a problem-solver for Kenny Atkinson's team, not another headache.
Of course, teams already know what Harden brings to the table. They put up with his lack of defensive effort because of all the special things he can do on the other end of the floor. It's just a matter of picking your poison and figuring out a way to surround him with the type of supporting cast he needs.
So far, the Cavs have done just that. That ugly loss to the Celtics might be more of an outlier. Still, Harden has a long history of postseason shortcomings, and as much as he's looked engaged and focused since arriving in Cleveland, this is still something to keep a close eye on as the regular season comes to a wrap.