The Cleveland Cavaliers have looked great since trading for superstar guard and future Basketball Hall of Famer James Harden. Entering Thursday, the Cavs have gone undefeated in the three games that Harden has played with them.
And in those contests, he averaged 19.3 points, 8.7 assists and 5.3 rebounds, while shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from behind the arc.
After helping the Cavaliers beat the Washington Wizards on Wednesday at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, Harden talked about his belief in his new team.
“Yes… I don’t know how many times I’ve said that throughout the course of my career. Given the depth, shooting, athleticism, & versatility we have, yes,” the former NBA Most Valuable Player said during the postgame press conference when asked whether the Cavs have what it takes to go all the way.
Harden scored just 13 points and took just four attempts from the field against the Wizards, but he went 10-for-12 from the free-throw line and dished out 11 assists with a block in 28 minutes of action.
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He did not have to create much for himself, given that his teammates were already doing a great job cooking Washington’s defense, with Sam Merrill and Donovan Mitchell going off for 32 and 30 points, respectively. Meanwhile, Jarrett Allen had a near double-double of 21 points and nine boards with two blocks and an assist.
Harden, who will be 37 years old in August, was acquired by the Cavs at the NBA trade deadline from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Darius Garland and a second-round pick in the 2026 draft.
A Communications Arts graduate from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, Rex claims to have JR Smith’s conscience with his shot selection. He has won a basketball, a baseball, and a football championship in fantasy all within a year.