James Harden Playing Through Fractured Right Thumb, Listed as Questionable for Milwaukee
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Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden has been diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture of the distal phalanx in his right thumb, the team announced Wednesday.
The injury, sustained during Tuesday’s victory over the New York Knicks, involves the bone at the tip of Harden’s non-shooting hand. X-rays taken Wednesday confirmed the fracture.
Harden is officially questionable for Wednesday night’s matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks, the second game of Cleveland’s back-to-back set. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the 36-year-old met with a hand specialist earlier in the day and plans to play through the injury without surgery, relying on treatment to manage pain. While his status for the Bucks game remains uncertain, the expectation is that any absence will be brief, if required at all.
Since arriving from the Los Angeles Clippers at the trade deadline earlier this month, Harden has averaged 18.9 points and 8.0 assists in 32.0 minutes across seven games, shooting .494 from the field, .488 from three-point range and .867 at the free-throw line. Cleveland has won six of those seven contests and 13 of its last 15 overall.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson said after Tuesday’s win that Harden’s presence has boosted the club’s confidence on both ends of the floor. Harden echoed that sentiment, telling reporters the Cavaliers still have “a few more notches” to reach with roughly 25 regular-season games remaining, emphasizing improved defense as the key to their progress.
Source: Hoops Rumors
