The Cleveland Cavaliers were able to get a big victory over the New York Knicks. Cleveland earned a 115-107 win at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday behind a season-high 32 points from James Harden, whose performance of the season arrived when his team needed stability.
Harden entered the night averaging only 15.3 points while shooting 36.4% from the field. Those numbers created understandable questions about how much the 37-year-old still had left during his 18th NBA season. He answered efficiently, making nine of his 14 shots, five of seven attempts from 3-point range and nine free throws. Harden also buried the go-ahead 3-pointer after New York tied the game at 101 during the fourth quarter.
The performance moved Harden into a tie with Allen Iverson for the 11th-most 30-point games in NBA history. That is a meaningful accomplishment for a player whose scoring once became so routine that people stopped appreciating it. Harden is no longer expected to produce the overwhelming numbers he recorded in Houston, but Wednesday showed he can still control an important game when Cleveland needs him.
“Being aggressive, I put the work in, and it’s only a matter of time until I get into a rhythm,” Harden said. “Year 18, so it’s taking me a little longer than usual, but the work eventually pays off. Eventually, it’s going to come around.”
That patience should encourage the Cavaliers. Harden understands he is not the same explosive player he was five or six years ago, and Cleveland does not need him to pretend otherwise. Donovan Mitchell scored 23 points against New York, while Jarrett Allen contributed 11 points and 14 rebounds. Harden’s responsibility is to complement those established pieces, create easier opportunities and recognize the nights when his scoring must become the difference.
Cleveland had lost two consecutive games before Wednesday, including a home loss to the Knicks. Harden said the Cavaliers remain in a good place despite dropping games they believed they should have won. Their priority is becoming healthier, improving daily and refusing to allow an uneven opening month to create unnecessary panic.
“Just be resilient. They are a great team and the defending champs,” Harden said. “Most importantly, we focus on ourselves and how we can improve every single day. Let’s build on this.”
One victory will not answer every question surrounding Cleveland’s 6-6 start. It did provide evidence that Harden’s slower beginning was not necessarily a permanent decline. His rhythm may take longer to arrive in Year 18, but the intelligence, confidence and shot-making remain available.
The Cavaliers do not need the Harden who averaged 36 points. They need the version who understands when 32 are required.
Cavaliers’ James Harden Makes Defiant Statement After Tying Allen Iverson