James Harden gave Cleveland Cavaliers fans a split-screen week, and that’s probably the best way to describe where things stand after his preseason finale.
On Sunday, he flashed the version Cleveland is banking on - the former MVP who can steady an offense and tilt a game. Two days later, in another meeting with the Orlando Magic, the shot just wasn’t there. Harden couldn’t seem to buy a basket, and the Cavaliers wore the rough edges of the night in more ways than one.
That’s the preseason for you. The results come with plenty of noise, and the bigger question is what it all means once the games start counting.
For Cleveland, Harden’s up-and-down showing brought that issue into focus again: What happens when the team’s most reliable offensive options are off their game? And does this roster have enough backup answers when that happens?
It wasn’t just Harden’s scoring line that stood out. He finished with only two assists in the game, matching the same total he posted in each of his two preseason appearances. For a player expected to help run Cleveland’s offense, that’s a surprisingly small number.
Still, the box score doesn’t tell the whole story. Assists can depend on what teammates do with the chances they’re given, so the lack of dimes doesn’t automatically mean Harden was forcing things or missing the right reads.
Even with the uneven night, Donovan Mitchell finished Tuesday with 15 points and eight assists, a reminder that there’s still plenty of creation elsewhere. Harden, too, should bounce back.
The broader point is that Cleveland didn’t bring Harden in for a preseason statement. The Cavaliers acquired him because they believed his scoring, experience and playmaking could help solve the playoff frustrations that have dogged them before. One rough exhibition shouldn’t erase that thinking.
But championship teams need more than flashes from their stars. That’s where Evan Mobley’s continued offensive growth becomes so important as Cleveland lines up another run at a title.
Right now, the bigger concern feels less like Harden’s missed shots and more like the larger rotation picture. The Cavaliers still seem to be figuring out who gets to take control when things get messy - or even who is truly being given that chance.
And that’s where the preseason warnings matter. Cleveland’s front-line talent will be asked to carry a lot, but the postseason won’t always allow for a slow build or a patient search for rhythm.
When the playoffs arrive, the Cavaliers are going to have to break through. Otherwise, they’ll be watching the rest from Cancun again.
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Former Cavs Teammate Sees A Familiar Problem In LeBrons Latest Test
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Marion also touched on the broader challenge facing teams built around multiple high-end options, a reality Cleveland followers know well from years of roster-building debates around star power and fit. He said Irving appears to be making strong progress in rehab and expressed hope that he can get back to the level of play that made him such a force, leaving the larger question of how soon, and how fully, that return arrives. [Read more 🡒]