The Cleveland Cavaliers have a chance to close out their series against the Detroit Pistons in Game 6, and it was because of the work they were able to do in Game 5. After being down late in the fourth quarter, the Cavs were able to come back and force overtime, winning their first road game of the postseason.
James Harden was big for the Cavs once again, as he finished with 30 points, eight rebounds and six assists. With another 30-point performance in the postseason, Harden made NBA history, becoming the first player to record 30+ points in a playoff game for 6 different teams.
This comes as no surprise, as Harden has been one of the best scorers in the league for the past decade, and he’s continuing to do what he does at this point in his career.
It feels as if Harden is finding his role with the Cavs, and that’s good news for their chances as they try to advance to the next round.
“This is new for me. I’ve only been here two-and-a-half months,” Harden said. “The things we’re going through is all new. Learning how to be a second option and play off Donovan. When to be aggressive, when he has it going. Last game, second half, he did some things we haven’t seen in a very, very long time. And he’s capable of doing that every single game. Finding when to be aggressive, when to be a playmaker.”
It has been an up-and-down process for Harden trying to acclimate himself within the Cavs’ offense since getting traded, but they’re making strides at the right time.
The next step for them is to get a win at home, but they know it won’t be easy with the Pistons. They’ve shown throughout the postseason that they’re resilient, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they forced a Game 7.