James Harden picked up right where he left off for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In his first preseason action after sitting out the previous game with ankle soreness, Harden led all scorers with 24 points as Cleveland knocked off the Orlando Magic 119-105. The win moved the Cavs to 1-1 in the preseason, and Harden looked fully in command from the start, settling in quickly and hitting his first five shots.
That kind of rhythm matters for Cleveland. The team traded for Harden in the middle of last season, which left little time for the group to build chemistry around its new centerpiece.
This summer and training camp have given the Cavs a cleaner runway, and through this game, the fit looked smoother. Harden ran the offense with complete control and showed he can still pile up points in a hurry at 37 years old.
Evan Mobley added 14 points and 7 rebounds for Cleveland. His shooting line wasn’t clean - he went 3-for-10 from the floor - but he salvaged the night with aggressive trips to the line, where he knocked down 8-of-9.
Jaylon Tyson gave the bench a lift with 13 points in 16 minutes, drilling three three-pointers. The third-year wing is expected to have a significant role for Cleveland’s second unit this season.
The Cavaliers also looked sharper on the defensive end after being unhappy with their effort in last week’s loss to the Boston Celtics. They wanted better work on the boards and tighter perimeter coverage, and Orlando gave them a chance to test that focus. The Magic struggled to create consistent advantages against a more active Cleveland defense at the point of attack, and they shot just 13-of-36 from three.
Mario Hezonja led Orlando with a strong bounce-back showing, finishing with 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting. After looking a step slow in his previous outing, Hezonja found more room in transition and helped stretch the floor. He also chipped in 5 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 steals.
Cleveland closes out the preseason on Tuesday before opening the regular season on the road against the Philadelphia 76ers on October 22.
In Other News...
Donovan Mitchell Keeps Showing Cavs Fans What Leadership Looks Like
Cleveland sports loyalty has a way of spilling beyond one locker room, and Donovan Mitchell was right in the middle of it when members of the Cavaliers showed up for the Guardians ALDS Game 5. The appearance was a reminder that the citys teams have built a real cross-sport camaraderie, with Cavaliers players making time to back the home baseball club in a big October moment.
The scene also carried the kind of subtle symbolism Cleveland fans notice. Support from both sides was on display before the game through jersey-wearing exchanges between players, a gesture that underscored the respect between the organizations and the tone Mitchell keeps helping set around the Cavs. With the Cavaliers and Guardians both moving into important stretches, those public signs of unity only add to the sense that Clevelands teams are feeding off one another. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Face A Real Rotation Crunch Kenny Atkinson Can't Ignore
The Cavaliers are already running into one of the trickiest problems a contender can face: how to keep established veterans and rising young players engaged when every minute matters. With Donovan Mitchell and James Harden setting the tone for a team built to win now, Cleveland also has to find room for prospects like Jaylon Tyson, Meleek Thomas, Craig Porter Jr. and Khalifa Diop, all while trying to keep the bigger picture intact for the season ahead.
Kenny Atkinson is the one left managing the balance, and it is not a simple handoff between present and future. The Cavs want championship-level production from their core, but they also need meaningful developmental reps for younger talent that could matter down the line, which means the rotation is already shaping up as a daily puzzle rather than a settled chart. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Have An Early Rotation Problem Worth Watching Tonight
The Cavaliers are already getting an early look at one of the more interesting questions of camp as they head into their second preseason game, coming off a loss in the opener. Kenny Atkinson is using these games to sort out rotations and take a longer look at the young players competing for backup point guard minutes, while also trying to build on the defensive activity and playmaking that showed up in the first outing.
There is still some unfinished business in the backcourt and on the glass, where rebounding remains an area the staff wants to clean up. Atkinson is also expected to give the starters a little more run than they got in the first preseason game, so this one should offer a better read on both the hierarchy and the pace of the coach's decisions as camp moves forward. [Read more 🡒]