James Harden has played in the NBA playoffs 17 times, but he has never won a championship. The Cleveland Cavaliers traded away Darius Garland to acquire him at the deadline, hoping that he would be the one to lead them to the title.
At the moment, they are facing the Detroit Pistons in Game 6, and there his performance will be the main topic of discussion.
ESPN’s First Take posted a clip on X before the game, showing Stephen A. Smith delivering a direct message to Harden. He gave credit for Game 5, where Harden dropped 30 points to help the Cavaliers come back from nine down in regulation and win 117-113 in overtime. But credit only went so far.
“He can prove that all the things that have been written about him in games of this nature, that was the past. And this is a different day. And this is a different James Harden,” Smith said. “I’m talking about game six and a potential game seven. This is it.”
Smith did not want to take anything away from what happened in Game 5. He just made clear it only matters if Harden follows it up.
“Harden did well last game, had 30 points. Most of it came from free throws. I’m not judging that. The fact of matter is make yourself effective, be aggressive and do what you have to do,” Smith said. “Sometimes you ain’t gonna be accurate from the field. You’re gonna have off nights. You’re entitled, but you got to go for it.”
That brought him to the bigger issue. For Smith, the problem with Harden in big games has never been that he plays poorly.
Stephen A. Smith Breaks Down James Harden’s Game 6 and Game 7 History
GettyJames Harden Called Out Over Troubling Playoff Trend Before Game 6
“When we malign in any way James Harden, it wasn’t because of bad performance. It was because of no-show performances. Last year in game seven, this brother took nine shots,” Smith said. “We’re talking about the absence of activity, the absence of aggression, which is so inexplicable because this is a guy that has the ball in his hands a vast majority of the time.”
The list Smith ran through was long. Against San Antonio in Houston. Against Golden State in Houston. Against Boston in Philadelphia. Against Denver with the Clippers. Four different teams, same outcome when the series was on the line.
“It’s usually the game six or the game seven that this happens,” Smith said. “I saw what he did in game five. I was happy. He did it. What you going to do in game six, you back in Cleveland. You got an opportunity to close out the number one seed in the East on your home court. What are you going to do? We shall see.”
Why Cavs Fans Have Every Right to Be Nervous About Harden Tonight
GettyJames Harden Faces Serious Pressure Ahead of Pistons Showdown
Smith’s worry seems quite reasonable when you see actual stats. Looking at his last five Game 6, Harden’s teams won only once and lost four times.
He scored an average of just 16.8 points, made 37 percent of his shots, and 23 percent from three-point range in those games.
The Cavaliers have a perfect 6-0 record at Rocket Arena this postseason. Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen are their main players.
If Harden finishes the job this evening, the deal will start to seem reasonable, and the discussion about him changing, at least a little, will be heard.
On the other hand, if he fails to show up again, Cleveland might face a Game 7, with all those same questions will hit louder.
James Harden Receives Brutal Message Just Before Game 6 vs. Pistons