Is the Cleveland Cavaliers' point guard position cursed? Some fans in Northeast Ohio are certainly feeling that way after the franchise announced a sudden update regarding James Harden suffering a thumb injury in the Cavs' latest outing against the New York Knicks.
The Cavaliers stated: "Cavaliers guard James Harden injured his right thumb in last night's 109-94 win over New York. A postgame examination by the Cavaliers' medical staff, followed by X-rays taken today, confirmed a non-displaced fracture of the distal phalanx."
Cleveland added that Harden will undergo further treatment and evaluation on this new injury. As such, the Cavaliers point guard has been listed as questionable for the matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday. The Cavs promised further updates on his status when they come.
Cavaliers are hoping history does not repeat itself with James Harden
With all the unfortunate injury luck Darius Garland was victim to during his time donning a Cavaliers jersey, Cleveland will certainly be hoping for a different story here. A huge part of the appeal in trading for Harden was the added stability it should have offered the Cavs in that department.
Harden has only missed six games this season, with three of those coming around the time of his trade away from the Los Angeles Clippers. Otherwise, the star guard has been largely available this year.
Harden has been extremely durable for the last couple of seasons prior too. The former Clippers star played 79 games in the 2024-25 campaign, and 72 during 2023-24. Despite being well into his 30s, the future Hall of Famer has been reliable.
The severity of his thumb injury is still ultimately unclear at times. However, there is an immediate sign of good news with the situation. At least the ailment is coming in the non-shooting hand for the lefty. Granted, that does not mean it is without consequences altogether.
After getting bumped and bruised against the Knicks, without a single free throw to show for it, Harden can't be enjoying where it got him. It goes without saying, but any injury situation should be treated with the utmost caution possible to ensure long-term health for the player involved.
The Cavaliers' biggest goals this season have to do with the postseason. While moving up the regular season standings could help, the bigger picture matters far more to them.
Harden was brought in to alleviate playmaking pressure off Donovan Mitchell. His impact was immediately felt. If the Cavs guard is forced to miss any extended time with the injury, Cleveland will need to afford him an opportunity to leave his fingerprints on the season when it matters most.