James Harden has turned the ball over 43 times in the playoffs. He's averaging 5.7 turnovers per game, and he gave the ball away seven times in Game 1 loss vs. the Detroit Pistons. One doesn't have to be a basketball savant to realize that's far from ideal.
High-usage guys tend to turn the ball over at a higher clip — that's just a part of the deal. However, most of Harden's giveaways have come in live-ball situations, leading to easy, uncontested buckets for the opposition.
To add insult to injury, Harden admitted that all of his wounds are self-inflicted. Reflecting on his lousy performance in Game 1, the future Hall of Famer took the blame for his carelessness with the rock in his hands:
"You look at my turnovers and a lot of them are just on me and nothing they did, which led them to have way to many transition points. That's the game right there. You get half of that and it's a different ball game. I gotta and will be better," Harden said postgame (h/t Deadspin).
The Cavs must take the ball off James Harden's hands
This isn't the first time Harden has said that, and given the Pistons' tough perimeter defense, there might only be one thing to do: Take the ball out of his hands. Kenny Atkinson has to let Donovan Mitchell and Dennis Schroder get the ball up the court, and only have Harden get touches every few possessions.
Schroder has been borderline unplayable, but having him play off the ball might not be the best way to use him. Also, getting Mitchell more touches might be just what he needs to be more aggressive and shake off this slump.
Of course, Harden is the team's best playmaker and ball-handler, so stopping him from doing one of the teams he does best might feel like a desperate measure. However, it's not like he can't impact the game without the rock in his hands.
Harden's three-level scoring pulls so much gravity. Defenders will have to respect his shot and follow him everywhere, thus leaving the paint open for Mitchell's drives. He complained about his lack of calls, and driving more might help him get to the line.
Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson will hound whoever gets the ball up the court. They have active hands, long arms, and a quick twitch to pick up the pocket. Harden tends to hesitate too much in the playoffs, and taking some responsibilities and weight off his shoulders might help him be at his best.
This is far from ideal, but it might be the only way to get the job done against the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Harden needs to go back to his shooting guard days and be more of a Steph Curry than a Chris Paul.
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