The Cleveland Cavaliers have caught fire, riding a surge of momentum since pulling off their blockbuster trade ahead of last week’s deadline.
Last Tuesday, the Cavaliers signaled it was time to make their championship push, sending two-time All-Star Darius Garland to the Clippers in a blockbuster deal for 11-time All-Star James Harden. This moves signified Cleveland’s determination to win now, clearly aiming for a supercharged offense to boost their results midway through the season.
It’s safe to say that through Harden’s first three games, the offense has looked as lethal as ever. With center Evan Mobley still absents from Cleveland’s lineup, the task of leading this team into the All-Star break has fallen on the shoulders of their new big three, who have exceeded the initial expectations that seasoned NBA fans and media had for this trio.
Cleveland’s offense is quickly developing the kind of chemistry that seemed uncertain in the immediate aftermath of the Harden trade. Their chemistry through the last three games elevates their offensive efficiency amongst the league’s best.
How Harden Has Impacted Cavaliers Offense
In Harden’s three games since arriving in Cleveland, the Cavaliers have scored 126.7 points per 100 possessions—a blistering pace that, over a full season, would place them atop the rest of the league in offensive efficiency.
Harden’s first two games with the Cavaliers were thrillers right up to the final whistle, which saw Cleveland steal a win in both contests on the road. Harden has shown that his on-court presence is still as serviceable as it ever has been, leading the team in assists in the time while scoring 20+ points in those games.
In Wednesday’s 138-113 home rout of the Washington Wizards, Harden again showed he’s not about dominating the scoring load—he’s playing smart, complementary ball with this new-look Cleveland squad. He finished with just 13 points but dished 11 assists and grabbed 4 rebounds, going 10-for-12 from the line in their blowout victory.
One of the most notable aspects of Harden’s addition is his elite off-ball vision, which has already sparked numerous highlight-reel plays. The ability to generate new, creative ways of opening up scoring opportunities for others has unlocked Cleveland’s offense in ways few could have anticipated.
All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell commented on Harden following their win on Wednesday, saying, “he sees the game at a different level…he’s out here creating, making plays, doing different things. And then his gravity, it opens the lane for everybody else, it’s just continuous.”
“He’s coaching on the bench and in huddles, that’s why he’s here,” Mitchell shared.
The Cavaliers now enter the All-Star break on a five-game winning streak, closing out the first half of the season on a high note. This extended time off gives this talented group a chance to recollect and build off their recent success before returning home to face the Brooklyn Nets on February 19th.
Harden’s brief stint in Cleveland has been as dominant and thrilling as Cavaliers fans could hope, fueling belief that the team can mount a serious charge to catch the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons down the stretch of this season’s schedule.