The Cleveland Cavs are staring at a rough 5-6 start and a seventh-place spot in the Eastern Conference, and the latest criticism has landed squarely on James Harden.
ESPN NBA insider Tim McMahon didn’t mince words when he explained why Harden is the team’s main issue right now.
“The biggest concern is that James Harden does not look like a guy you want as part of your foundation right now,” said McMahon, per the NBA on ESPN on X, formerly Twitter.
That assessment lines up with what’s showing on the floor. Harden has been far from his usual standard this season, hitting just 36.4 percent of his shots and offering very little defensively. Against the Hornets, one sequence in particular drew attention online when Harden gave up multiple straight offensive rebounds and barely moved to challenge the ball against Charlotte.
The frustration around Cleveland has been building for a while. The Cavs were heavily criticized when they acquired Harden last year in a deal that sent Darius Garland the other way, then doubled down by giving Harden a new contract this offseason. Cleveland did reach the Eastern Conference Finals last season, but it never really threatened the New York Knicks in that series, and the teams around them in the standings made major moves over the summer.
Now the Cavs get a chance to answer some of that noise on Wednesday night, when they face the Knicks again in New York City. Tipoff is set for 7:00 pm ET.
In Other News...
Cavs Got The Offensive Spark Fans Have Been Waiting For
The Cavaliers finally found the kind of offensive rhythm that has been missing in stretches this season, and it came in a win over the Knicks. James Harden set the tone with 32 points and four assists, while Donovan Mitchell added 23 points and seven rebounds to keep the pressure on New York. Jarrett Allen chipped in 11 points and 14 rebounds, giving Cleveland a steady inside presence, and the overall performance had the feel of a night when the ball moved with purpose and the scoring load was spread more naturally.
Tyrese Proctor also gave the Cavs a useful lift with 15 points, another encouraging sign for a team still sorting out its rotation and looking for reliable secondary scoring. For Cleveland, the bigger question now is whether this was just a strong one-off against the Knicks or the start of a more consistent offensive spark that can carry into the next stretch of games. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Finally Delivered The Kind Of Response Fans Needed
After a shaky stretch that had started to raise questions, the Cavaliers got the kind of road response they needed at Madison Square Garden, beating the Knicks 115-107 and snapping a two-game losing streak. Clevelands offense found enough rhythm to steady things, and Donovan Mitchell was central to that push with 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists as the Cavs moved back to 6-6.
The bigger takeaway was that Cleveland didnt let the night drift away once New York made it uncomfortable in the fourth quarter. James Hardens season-high 32 points gave the Cavaliers a needed scoring lift, and the win offered a cleaner snapshot of what this group can look like when it has to answer a challenge rather than absorb one. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Pressure Is Rising Fast But Kenny Atkinson May Not Be The Problem
A 5-6 start has a way of turning up the heat quickly, and the Cavaliers are already feeling it. Kenny Atkinson is the face of the sideline scrutiny, but the early-season frustration has been shaped as much by the roster around him as by anything happening in the coaching box, with the team not getting the kind of lift it expected from key pieces.
James Harden has been part of that conversation, and so has Peyton Watson, whose play has slipped from what he gave last season. When the production from important additions and veterans falls off at the same time, the pressure inevitably rolls uphill, and Atkinsons margin for error may not stay wide for long if Cleveland cannot find some traction soon. [Read more 🡒]