The Cleveland Cavaliers are slowly realizing exactly why the rest of the NBA has a preconceived playoff notion when it comes to James Harden. He can put up a monster game. But year after year, the inevitable happens: Harden puts up a dud and his team isn’t able to get over the hump. Right now, that seems like a real possibility.
In Game 2 against the Toronto Raptors, the Cavaliers got beaten in the final few minutes, and Harden didn’t do much to aid the cause. He wasn’t completely awful, but his seven turnovers were brutal, and he shot just 6-of-14 and 2-of-6 from beyond the three-point line.
It wasn’t the worst playoff game Harden has ever had, but the reality of the situation may slowly begin to seep in for the Cavaliers.
James Harden's same old playoff woes are starting up again
Harden has never really been a playoff riser. In fact, throughout the course of his career, he’s garnered a reputation for falling off when it comes to the postseason, which hasn’t been great for the teams he has led.
Since his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder – when he was super young – Harden has never been back to the NBA Finals, despite having been apart of some elite regular-season teams.
After getting traded to the Cavaliers at this year’s deadline, he helped his new squad surge toward the end of the regular season. And through the first two games of this year’s playoffs, it looked like the Cavs could cruise to a first-round victory over the Raptors.
However, in Game 3, Harden struggled. He shot just 5-of-13 from the floor and 3-of-10 from deep range, finishing the night with 18 points, four rebounds, four assists, and a whopping eight turnovers.
Then, in Game 4, Harden’s stats weren’t great for the second straight game. For the second straight game, he finished with more turnovers than made field goals.
Now, the Cavaliers-Raptors series is tied at two apiece. The Raptors have all the momentum behind them. They’ve won two straight games over the Cavaliers, and on Sunday afternoon, they won without playing that well themselves.
Toronto shot only 31-of-97 (32.0%) from the floor and 4-of-30 (13.3%) from beyond the arc. That’s as close to an inexcusable loss as can be.
And Harden has his fingerprints all over it. Evan Mobley struggled mightily. Donovan Mitchell couldn’t make a shot. But Harden was there, too.
Combined with his Game 3, the same old trend is starting again.
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