James Harden is one of the greatest players of all time. Unfortunately, the Cleveland Cavaliers star guard is also well-regarded as one of the worst playoff performers of all time. Harden developed a reputation for being a choker due to his struggles in the postseason. There was hope that maybe this year, Harden could overcome his struggles in the playoffs.
Harden has had his moments for the Cavs this playoffs. He had a few games in the series against the Toronto Raptors where he carried the load and became the perfect second fiddle for Donovan Mitchell. However, in Game 2 against the Detroit Pistons, the ugly side of Harden showed up once again.
In 36 minutes of action, Harden played arguably his worst game in recent memory. The Cavs star finished with just 10 points on 3-of-13 shooting, adding six rebounds, three assists, and committing four turnovers. This putrid performance is unfortunately not a rarity for Harden, this game being his 20th game shooting below 25% from the field. This broke Bob Cousy’s record for most games shooting like that from the field, per ESPN.
The Pistons are one of the most physical teams on defense. They rarely have a weak point on defense, and they’re able to cover for the few weaknesses they do have in certain lineups. Still, many expected the Pistons to at least have a harder time dealing with the Cavs’ two-headed dragon that is Harden and Donovan Mitchell. In Game 2, Mitchell played well enough, finishing with 31 points on 11-of-24 shooting.
Harden, on the other hand, was largely ineffective for the Cavs. The star guard struggled to beat the Pistons’ defenders one-on-one, forcing up tough, contested shots against one of the best defensive teams in the league. His decision-making was also suspect, uncharacteristic of someone who should be the veteran on the team.
The series now shifts to Cleveland. The Cavs need to avoid falling into a 0-3 hole against a team like Detroit. We’ll see if Kenny Atkinson and Harden can make the necessary adjustments to save their season.