Just when they needed it most, the Cleveland Cavaliers got exactly what nobody thought they would from James Harden – a monster playoff performance. The future Hall of Famer has built a reputation for being a playoff dropper, and it’s one that has followed him for most of his career. But in Game 5, Harden churned out a great performance to give the Cavs a 3-2 lead in their second-round series against the Detroit Pistons.
Without Harden in Game 5, the Cavaliers may not have been able to get the job done, and they would be heading back to Cleveland down in the series instead of up. But unlike what most people probably thought of Harden when the Cavs traded for him, he stepped up in the postseason.
In Game 5, in spite of the reputation that has been handed to him, Harden was a massive playoff riser.
James Harden was a playoff riser in Game 5
Throughout the course of his career, Harden’s teams have not necessarily had the best reputation for performing in the playoffs. Since his time as a sixth man with the Oklahoma City Thunder, he hasn’t been to the NBA Finals.
And he’s definitely had some chances to. But he ran into the Golden State Warriors over and over again, and since then, no other team he’s been on has come close. Not until now.
The Cavaliers have a chance to go to the Eastern Conference finals. If they can beat the Pistons one more time, they’d earn a date with the New York Knicks, and from there, anything could happen.
That all started in Game 5. The Cavs hadn’t won a road playoff game all year, but they walked into Detroit knowing they needed a victory. And Harden was the guy who led them to one.
In Game 5, Harden finished the night with 30 points, eight rebounds, six assists, one steal, and three blocks. He turned the ball over six times and didn’t shoot particularly well (8-of-21 from the field and 3-of-10 from deep), but it didn’t matter.
Harden led the team in scoring and did just enough to lead them to a victory, too. Lots of other guys pitched in with big-time buckets, but Harden’s offensive production was the leader in the clubhouse.
When Cleveland traded for Harden, they were criticized for adding a guy who may not perform in the postseason. And at times, he didn’t. He turned the ball over a ton and didn’t produce enough offense to make up for it.
But in Game 5, despite the turnovers and inefficient shooting, Harden did enough. He scored 30 points and was a crucial playmaker for the Cavs.
And now, they’re going back to Cleveland up 3-2.
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