James Harden, Cavaliers
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James Harden of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets.
The Cleveland Cavaliers welcomed back James Harden on Sunday night and immediately felt his impact on the floor.
They also heard something more sobering afterward.
Harden scored 22 points in his return from a two-game absence, helping the Cleveland Cavaliers snap a two-game losing streak with a 106–102 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. But the veteran guard’s postgame comments — openly acknowledging that retirement is no longer a distant concept — quickly became the bigger takeaway.
“I know it’s coming soon,” Harden told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. “Hopefully, later than soon, but it’s a reality. Everybody has to go through this at some point.
“Just trying to continue to keep my body in shape and play well. We’ll see what happens in the next few years.”
Playing Through Pain After Thumb Fracture
Harden’s return came just days after he suffered a non-displaced fracture of the distal phalanx in his thumb during Cleveland’s 109–94 win over New York earlier in the week. The 36-year-old opted against surgery, choosing instead to play through the injury.
Despite the limitation, Harden finished 5-of-9 from the field, knocked down 4-of-7 from three-point range and went 8-of-12 at the free-throw line. He also added nine rebounds and eight assists in 37 minutes.
“You could see in the first half he’s not 100 percent, obviously,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “I thought in the second half, though, he had that stretch where we were struggling and he kind of took over.”
Second-Half Surge Seals the Win
Harden had eight points at halftime as Brooklyn carried a 52–46 lead into the break, but Cleveland leaned heavily on the veteran guard after intermission.
He scored 14 of his 22 points in the second half, including a four-point play late in the third quarter that helped swing momentum. Cleveland outscored Brooklyn by six points during Harden’s 19 minutes in the second half, erasing the deficit and building a late cushion.
The Cavaliers led by eight with just over three minutes remaining before Brooklyn made a final push. The Nets trimmed the margin to one in the final seconds, but Cleveland closed it out at the free-throw line behind Harden, Dennis Schroder and Evan Mobley.
Cavaliers Continue Rolling With Harden
The win improved Cleveland to 38–24 and 7–1 with Harden in the lineup since acquiring the 2018 NBA MVP in a blockbuster deal with the Los Angeles Clippers ahead of the trade deadline. In eight games with the Cavaliers, Harden is averaging 19.3 points, 8.0 assists and 5.1 rebounds while serving as the team’s primary organizer.
“We needed him tonight,” Atkinson said. “Obviously playing handicapped, he still played really well.”
Jarrett Allen led the Cavaliers with 20 points, while Mobley added 16 points and 13 rebounds as Cleveland improved to 12–1 in its last 13 games against Brooklyn.
Retirement Talk Adds Perspective to Cavaliers’ Push
Harden’s comments about retirement underscored the reality facing Cleveland as it leans on a future Hall of Famer still capable of dictating games — even while injured.
The Cavaliers were again without Donovan Mitchell, who missed his third straight game with a groin injury, and forward Dean Wade, sidelined with an ankle sprain. Harden’s ability to stabilize the offense has been vital during that stretch.
For now, Harden remains focused on the present even as he acknowledges the clock is ticking.
“Take one game at a time,” he said. “Cherish the moments.”
On Sunday night, Cleveland did exactly that — getting a win, getting its leader back, and getting a rare, honest glimpse into how much longer one of the NBA’s defining stars plans to keep going.