The Cleveland Cavaliers went into Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals with the intention of defending home court and preventing a sweep on one of the biggest stages in sports. Unfortunately, after a 130-93 blowout loss against the New York Knicks, the Cavaliers’ postseason has come to an embarrassing end.
The Cavaliers’ effort in Game 4 was lacking from the start. After a strong first-quarter outing by the Knicks, Cleveland failed to bounce back. Although Donovan Mitchell (31 PTS, 4 REB, 9-18 FG) put his best foot forward even in these unfavorable circumstances, the lack of support from co-stars James Harden (12 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST) and Evan Mobley (15 PTS, 7 REB, 4 AST, 1 STL) was truly disheartening.
Although Cleveland boasted the potential to stand toe-to-toe with the Knicks, the matchup looked largely one-sided. With the media and the NBA legends taking note of their poor effort in Game 4, the Cavaliers were roasted by many after being swept.
“Kids at home, if you want to see what the word quit means, to give up, the verb of that is Cavaliers,” NBA legend Charles Barkley commented on “Inside the NBA.”
Shaquille O’Neal followed Barkley’s comment, stating:
“James Harden is doing what James usually does… disappear.”
Social media content creator Steak F reacted to the game on X and slammed James Harden’s performance by sharing:
“Adding James Harden to win a championship is like marrying a stripper because you want a family.”
Former Cavaliers player and five-time NBA champion Ron Harper was even more disappointed with the team’s display, as he added:
“Being a @cavs ex-player, it’s disappointing seeing them lay down and the coach being unaccountable in the series. It’s the Eastern Conference Finals, and you lay down; don’t just blame James Harden, look at it all!!!!!”
Renowned analyst Skip Bayless also chimed in to slam Harden’s poor performance, noting:
“James Harden in tonight’s home closeout game: 0-6 from 3 with 5 turnovers. Predictable.”
When acknowledging James Harden’s claim that he would be back next season, ClutchPoints’ Daniel Donabedian joked:
“This is a threat.”
Bruce Brahn from “The Pat McAfee Show” also commented on the game, taking a shot at Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson, saying:
“But are we up 30 points analytically?”
LakersNation’s Daniel Starkland also made a keen observation about the Cavs’ loss and mentioned:
“One thing I think we can all agree on is that LeBron is not hitching his wagon to James Harden to end his career.”
It seems that both NBA legends and the media are pinning the loss on James Harden. While harsh, it is difficult to argue against this.
James Harden has been one of the more disappointing players for the Cavaliers in the playoffs, averaging 19.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 5.7 assists before Monday night’s game.
When specifically referring to his performances in the ECF, Harden has routinely come up short on the defensive end. But his recurring mistakes on offense seem even more jarring.
Aside from his combined 17 turnovers over the last four games (5 in Game 4), Harden has averaged 15.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. When also factoring in that he shot 0-6 from beyond the arc in a win-or-go-home situation, it is safe to say that the Cavaliers’ star faded when the lights were brightest.
With this loss, the Cavaliers will head into the offseason with several doubts. While it is apparent that Donovan Mitchell is capable of performing at the highest level, Cleveland may be forced to reassess the quality of talent surrounding him.
