Cavs’ James Harden passes Tony Parker on playoff list

The Cleveland Cavaliers have a 2-1 series lead on the Toronto Raptors, and they’re looking to extend it to 3-1 after Game 4. Though they fell in Game 3, they have a chance to bounce back on the road, and with the playoff experience on the team, it’s very possible.

James Harden has seen it all through his career, and he’s put up a lot of numbers in the playoffs. That showed when he passed Tony Parker for the sixth-most assists in playoff history with this pass to Evan Mobley in Game 4.

There’s no doubt that Harden has been putting in the work his entire career, and he’s still chasing a championship. Before the playoffs started, he spoke about what it would mean for him to win a ring.

“I don’t think the world wants to see [my emotions] if that happens,” Harden said via Andscape’s Marc Spears. “I put so much work into the game. Still to this day, I’m putting work in right now. I’m here for a reason, still putting in a high level [of shots] for a reason. I generally work my butt off. People don’t really see it, which is fine because I’m here for a reason.

“A lot of guys faded away, and we still see guys in year 17-plus. It’s only a handful of them that’s still playing at the highest level, which means credit to their work. But [a championship is] something that I work my butt off for every single day, and I’m going to continue to just keep going and keep trying until that happens.”

It’s been hard for Harden to get over the playoff hump in his career, but with the Cavs, he has a good opportunity to chase a championship, and the first step is getting past the Raptors.