The Cleveland Cavaliers continued their mid-season surge Tuesday night with a 109-94 victory over the New York Knicks, a run head coach Kenny Atkinson credits to the “renewed confidence” brought by newly acquired guard James Harden.
“Bringing James on has given us a renewed confidence,” Atkinson said after the game in Cleveland. “That spirit, that confidence … it makes you play harder, compete harder defensively.”
Immediate impact since blockbuster trade
Cleveland is 6-1 since obtaining the 11-time All-Star from the LA Clippers at the trade deadline in exchange for Darius Garland and a second-round pick. The club has won eight of its past nine overall, moving into a tie with New York for the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Harden, who finished with 20 points Tuesday, is averaging 18.9 points and 8.0 assists while shooting 49% from both the field and three-point range over his first seven games in a Cavaliers uniform.
“We’ve had two practices,” guard Donovan Mitchell noted after leading Cleveland with 23 points. “Some nights we’re just playing off of each other, going off film and our IQ.”
Defense drives latest win
The Cavaliers limited the Knicks to 11 points in the third quarter, New York’s lowest-scoring period since November 2022, according to ESPN Research. The defensive stand helped Cleveland avoid a season sweep after losses to the Knicks on opening night and Christmas Day.
Cleveland owns the league’s best record (20-7) since Christmas. Mitchell pointed to the December 25 defeat as a benchmark for the team’s growth, saying, “You have a team on the ropes, you’ve got to finish it and get a knockout punch.”
Looking ahead
With 25 games remaining, Harden believes further gains are within reach. “If we can really hone in defensively and limit teams to one shot, we’re going to be very, very tough,” he said.
Source: ESPN
