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Harden's 30-Point Game Means Nothing Until He Shows Up in Game 6

The Cleveland Cavaliers are now on the verge of elimination after dropping Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks on Saturday night. The Cavaliers are now down 0-3 in the series, a deficit no team in NBA history has ever recovered from. 

Cavaliers’ star James Harden has looked more of a liability than an asset for Cleveland in the series as the Knicks have continuously attacked him on defense to earn easier looks. 

After seeing how Harden has turned into the biggest weak link on defense in the series, former NBA player Brandon Jennings expressed concerns about Harden’s future. In his post on X, Jennings believed Harden should retire after the conference finals. 

“James Harden should retire after this season,” Jennings wrote after Game 3. “Great Run Top 75 HOF 1st ballot.”

Harden has not scored over 20 points in the series so far. In Game 3, he had his series-best performance with 19 points, five rebounds, and five assists in 41 minutes of playing time.

In Game 2, he only had 16 points, six rebounds and two assists. Before that, he put up 15 points on 5-for-16 shooting from the field in Game 1, where the Knicks recovered from a 22-point deficit to defeat the Cavaliers in overtime. 

During Game 1’s fourth quarter, Harden was relentlessly attacked by Jalen Brunson on every play late in the game to crawl back from the wide deficit. 

Harden is already 36 years old and has been considered one of the best offensive players who ever played in the NBA. He is not known for his defense, something that is seen as his biggest weakness throughout his career. 

Harden was traded from the LA Clippers to the Cavaliers in the middle of the season and has since run the team’s offense en route to winning a seven-game series and clinching a spot in the conference finals, Cleveland’s first since LeBron James left the team in 2018. 

James Harden Is Playing on His First Conference Finals in 8 Years

GettyJames Harden is playing in his first conference finals in 8 years.

James Harden has not been in a conference finals series since 2018, when he was still playing for the Houston Rockets. 

Before this year, Harden last played in a conference finals against the Golden State Warriors, led by Steph Curry and Kevin Durant. The Rockets lost in seven games after a missing a historic 27 straight 3-point attempts. 

Just like in 2018, Harden wants his team to make more shots against the Knicks to take one game in the series. 

“Got to make some shots,” Harden said on what would it take for the Cavaliers to beat the Knciks. “I don’t know how many shots we made or missed, but we haven’t really made shots since the first couple quarters in Game 1. Gotta make shots.”

The Cavaliers shot 42-for-84 (50%) from the field. The Knicks shot better at 43-for-77 (56%).

James Harden Remains Confident Vs The Knicks

GettyDonovan Mitchell talks with James Harden, who remains confident against the Knicks.

James Harden’s confidence never wavers, according to him, despite being down 0-3 in the series. 

We’re still confident. Like, the confidence is, you know, never going away. We’re more than capable. You know, we just need some things to shift, change, and make some shots, the series turns around,” he said. 

Game 4 of the series will be on Monday, May 25, still in Cleveland.