11-time NBA All-Star James Harden is set to make his debut for the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road tonight against the Sacramento Kings at 10 PM Eastern.
Cleveland acquired Harden in a stunning blockbuster deal earlier this week, trading away long-time point guard and two-time All-Star Darius Garland in the process.
It was an emotional week for Cavs fans. Many had personal attachments and appreciation for Garland’s time in Cleveland. His departure was marked final in Los Angeles as the entire team hugged him goodbye after their win over the Clippers.
Harden joins a roster rebuffed by championship expectations. Alongside him are two other newcomers in Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis. Those two made their debuts against the Clippers on Wednesday night. They return to play their former team tonight.
Watching how Harden can fit in will be a treat. This is a generationally talented playmaker who demands the ball more than most players in league history. At the same time, Harden has co-existed with numerous stars throughout his career. Fitting in with Donovan Mitchell shouldn’t be too heavy a challenge.
Harden is averaging an elite 25 points and 8 assists this season. He still has an uncanny ability for drawing fouls and getting to the free-throw line. But, he’s also as good as it gets at orchestrating the pick-and-roll. Pay close attention to how Harden and Jarrett Allen get along tonight. Their two-man action could quickly become a bread and butter for the Cavs.
Cleveland has been on a roll recently. They’ve won eight of their last two games, improving to 31-21 after a rocky start to the season. They have the easiest remaining schedule in the Eastern Conference and might have improved at the deadline. We will get our first look at their biggest addition in just a few hours.
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