The Cleveland Cavaliers have a tough season ahead of them with strong pressure to contend for an NBA Championship. Donovan Mitchell and James Harden must thrive together as the star-studded backcourt. A tougher Eastern Conference sees more challengers to make it harder than last season’s Eastern Conference Finals appearance.
Mitchell went out of his way to praise Harden and claim he gets unfairly judged around the league:
“I truly believe the only reason he’s not talked about like LeBron and KD is because of championship convos. I’ve always known it, being around him. But when you’re his teammate, I think it brings it to a whole different level.
Seeing him in camp, seeing his influence on the group, seeing his conversation, seeing his passion, passion behind intention, and trying to do the best at what he does really puts into perspective how BS a lot of the narratives are. How you really don’t understand someone until you see him on a daily basis.”
Mitchell went as far as to say Harden should be in the same conversations as LeBron James and Kevin Durant. The trio of LeBron, KD, and Stephen Curry are often heralded as the faces of the recent NBA era. Harden and Kawhi Leonard are two names who fall just short of getting equal respect to the legends.
Donovan Mitchell Defends James Harden’s Playoff History
Mitchell later went on to say that the narrative of Harden being a playoff choker is unfair. Harden is the only superstar of his level to have so many bad shooting playoff games for various teams, but he did lead the Houston Rockets to their best chances since the mid-90s.
The following quote from Mitchell defended Harden’s playoff legacy:
“Sure, he hasn’t won a championship or whatever, but he was one inch away from being in the Finals one year,” Mitchell vowed. “The other year, I think CP gets hurt. So, there are so many things that play into it. I don’t think it’s just him. I think you see his level of hunger in practice; he’s holding everybody accountable, and that’s what you see on a daily basis. It really motivates you as a player.”
Mitchell referenced past scenarios with the Brooklyn Nets and Rockets where Harden could have won a title with a few breaks. However, this also erases Harden’s contributions to those teams’ losses as a top star.
Why James Harden Can’t Win This Argument
Most of the top players of each generation have incredible playoff moments. Even the newer stars like Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Nikola Jokic have more playoff defining moments than Harden in shorter times.
Harden often scored low totals and shot inefficiently from the field with everything on the line. Most teams benefit from their all-time great stars being consistent with the biggest games determining the championship.
Cleveland will give Harden and Mitchell chances to prove their playoff greatness. Those two and Evan Mobley are the three most important players on a team with NBA Finals goals. Mitchell must be right about Harden for his own chance of success on the line.
Donovan Mitchell Calls Out “Disrespectful” James Harden Haters