When the Cleveland Cavaliers needed James Harden the most in Game 3, the divisive star delivered.
Following a rough start to the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Detroit Pistons, Harden had his best game of the second-round series as Cleveland scored its first win, 116-109, to avoid the dreaded 3-0 deficit, from which no team in NBA history has recovered.
The 11-time All-Star made his biggest impact in the fourth quarter of a close game, scoring nine of his 19 points on 4-of-5 shooting, including a setback jumper, floater and three on consecutive possessions with under 90 seconds remaining and the Cavs nursing a one- or two-point lead.
It was the type of performance Cleveland likely envisioned when acquiring Harden at this year’s trade deadline. And it came not a moment too soon.
Cavaliers guard James Harden silences critics with big fourth quarter in Game 3 win over Pistons
Over the series’ first two games, the Cavs averaged 99 points per game, well below their regular-season average (119.5 points per game), and Harden was partly responsible. The 17-year veteran, who’s developed a troubling knack over the years for underperforming in the postseason, shot 32.1 percent, including 9.1 percent from beyond the arc, while averaging 16 points, five assists and 5.5 turnovers per game.
With Donovan Mitchell (35 points on Saturday) the team’s primary scorer, Cleveland doesn’t need its offense to run through Harden. But it does need Harden to pick his spots and deliver, which he did for the first time all series in Game 3.
With the Cavaliers up two and a minute left in regulation, Harden crossed over Pistons guard Duncan Robinson to get to the rim, where he made a floating jumper over center Jalen Duren.