The James Harden era in Cleveland couldn’t have opened with more fireworks-on or off the court.
In his Cavaliers debut, Harden delivered a vintage fourth-quarter performance, dropping 15 of his 20 points in the final frame to help Cleveland edge out the Sacramento Kings, 132-126. It was a game that started slow for both Harden and Donovan Mitchell, but when it mattered most, the duo flipped the switch and closed the door on a Kings team that looked like it was still searching for its identity.
And if the on-court drama wasn’t enough, the postgame scene had its own viral moment. As Harden was giving his first interview in a Cavs uniform with sideline reporter Serena Winters, rapper and longtime Harden friend Travis Scott burst into the shot with the kind of energy you'd expect after watching a wild finish.
“We’re going to the yard!” Scott shouted, before tossing in an unfiltered exclamation that made it to air. It was an unscripted moment that threw a little chaos into the postgame, but Winters handled it like a seasoned pro-holding her ground, keeping the mic, and steering the interview right back on track once Scott exited stage left.
Back to the basketball, though-because that’s where things really got interesting.
Harden and Mitchell didn’t light it up early. The chemistry wasn’t instant, but it didn’t need to be.
What matters is how they closed. Harden went 6-for-7 from the field in the second half, adding two assists and looking every bit like the floor general Cleveland hoped they were getting.
Mitchell, meanwhile, was electric-scoring 29 on 11-of-16 shooting after halftime, including a barrage of buckets late that helped seal the win.
Together, they combined for 32 points in the fourth quarter alone. That’s not just a strong finish-that’s a statement.
It’s early, and it’s only one game, but the first look at the Mitchell-Harden pairing gave Cavs fans a reason to believe. There’s still plenty to figure out-rotations, roles, and how the offense flows when both are on the floor-but if Saturday night was any indication, there’s serious potential here.
And hey, if the basketball doesn’t keep things entertaining, the postgame interviews just might.