Harden Reflects on Cavaliers’ Playoff Struggles
It’s often said that the team which loses by a wide margin in a series could be better than it appears. James Harden, after his team’s fourth consecutive loss, shared thoughts on how the Knicks stacked up against the Cavaliers on Monday night.
“Honestly, I can’t even answer that,” Harden remarked following the 130-93 defeat. “We didn’t have the best situation, that’s for sure. Sure, they swept us 4-0, but deep down, I feel like we’re the better team. But we didn’t prove it in this series, which makes it a tough question.”
It’s one thing to express those sentiments after a close encounter, but the Cavaliers dropped every game by at least 11 points. In their final home game, they faced a staggering 37-point loss during elimination.
This series wasn’t about a single play or moment.
Even when Harden considered that Sam Merrill’s potential game-winner nearly went in, the Cavaliers were down by more than 22 points in that game before a late choke, resulting in an overtime loss. It’s one of those performances that could haunt a team for a long time.
Harden’s comments, reflecting on the Cavaliers’ performance, seem misplaced, especially considering how the series unfolded. If anything, he may have given them their clearest shot in Game 1 when the pressure was palpable. Despite having a strong lead, Brunson kept targeting him, scoring at will.
This 36-year-old star, who has yet to reach the NBA Finals, entered the playoffs with high hopes. Averaging 16 points per game in the series, he ended up with modest stats—12 points on 2-of-8 shooting in Game 4, and 12 points on 0-of-6 in another.
He acknowledged that shooting was a definitive factor in the series, claiming he performed “pretty well” during his initial playoff run with Cleveland after being acquired midseason.
Harden stated, “They made some shots—some were wide open, others were tough. It’s hard to say if I could’ve made a difference.”
His intention to stay with the Cavaliers is clear, despite the team’s struggles.
