Well, the Cleveland Cavaliers did it; they really did it. It took them six tries, but they've finally beaten the New York Knicks, taking them down at Madison Square Garden and even closing them out after a late comeback attempt.
Watching Kenny Atkinson's team hold its own against a championship contender was refreshing, but it was nothing compared to watching James Harden turn back the clock to put on a show. He needed 12 games, but it looks like he finally arrived.
Harden may have heard all the (rightful) criticism on social media and in NBA circles. His recent play has hurt the Cavaliers through the first 11 games of the season, and if that's what it takes for him to get the monkey off his back, let's keep the heat on, then.
James Harden finally gave the Cavaliers the performance they needed from him
Harden was aggressive from the jump. He dropped 32 points on 9-of-14 shooting, went 9-of-11 from the free-throw line, and knocked down five of his seven three-pointers. He had four assists, two steals, and only turned the ball over twice.
The future Hall of Famer made some clutch buckets when the Knicks were threatening to get back in this one, and he even held his own pretty well on defense to force Jalen Brunson to give up the ball multiple times down the stretch.
This was a much-needed, gutsy performance from the same player who had statistically hurt the team the most this season. His on-off swings have been atrocious, and the numbers showed that every single player on the team did better when he was off the floor.
Maybe it was a coincidence, or perhaps he just needed more time to get his legs back under him and get into a rhythm. Whatever the case, this was the type of game that justified the Cavs' controversial decision to not only trade for him but also double down on him this offseason.
Harden has rarely been the one to rise to the occasion when it matters the most. That said, he's been there and done that. He's been in the league for ages, and he should play with the type of freedom of a player who knows his legacy can only improve at this point in his career. Worst-case scenario, he's a first-ballot Hall of Famer anyway.
Father Time is ruthless, and he's clearly caught up with him, but most of Harden's struggles have always been mental. Maybe he's finally motivated to silence the critics, and if that's all it took to get him going, Cavs Nation better keep roasting him on social media.
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