Year in and year out, the Cleveland Cavaliers' core four played well enough in the regular season, and then flamed out in the playoffs. Even last season, when the table was set for them, they couldn't take care of business.
The Cavs ran away with the best record in the Eastern Conference and the second-best record in the NBA. They even split the season series against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Boston Celtics, looking like a legitimate contender after trading for De'Andre Hunter. It was all for naught.
That's why, now that they've added a well-known playoff underperformer like James Harden to the mix, Zach Lowe still isn't sold on Kenny Atkinson's team. In the latest edition of his podcast, he shed light on the many questions the Cavs need to ask themselves before the playoffs.
Cavaliers may not have what it takes to get it done in the playoffs
"Is it good that they have experience choking in the playoffs? Getting outworked in the playoffs? And getting outmuscled in the playoffs?" Lowe asked. "Is that good? Is James Harden's playoff experience a good thing for them? I don't know, I think it can go both ways."
According to StatMuse, Harden has averaged 22.1 points, 6.5 assists and 5.4 rebounds on 41.7 percent from the floor in 26 career elimination games. That's not necessarily bad, but it's a far cry from his usual self. For context, he shot 44.3 percent from the field and averaged 30.0 points, 7.9 assists, and 6.3 rebounds during his prime in Houston.
That said, the Cavs don't need to rely on Harden to do all the heavy lifting. He's no longer at that stage in his career, and the early returns of his chemistry with Donovan Mitchell have been quite encouraging.
Harden raises this team's offensive ceiling in ways Darius Garland couldn't. More than that, he can play with the freedom of a guy who knows his legacy is all but set at this point in his career. If anything, a ring can only cement his Hall of Fame case, but it's not like he needs it.
The Cavs will certainly need the likes of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley to show some teeth when it matters the most, but they know they can always lean on Mitchell when things get tough. Even Michael Jordan had to endure multiple beatings before finally breaking through, so who's to say the Cavs won't be the same?