Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson defended James Harden after the Cavaliers blew a massive fourth-quarter lead against the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Despite Cleveland collapsing late and Harden struggling offensively during crunch time, Atkinson made it clear he still fully trusts the former MVP, especially on the defensive end.
“Yeah we adjusted, we adjusted to that. Started sending two at him, get the ball out of his hands, full rotating — we adjusted. James was good most of the game.Listen, we weren’t great defensively in the fourth quarter. Like I said, the ball stuck a little bit too much. That was the key.”
The Cavaliers appeared in complete control for most of the night. Cleveland built a 22-point lead and looked ready to take a commanding 1-0 series lead at home before everything unraveled in the fourth quarter. Jalen Brunson completely took over late, finishing with 38 points and six assists as the Knicks stormed back for a stunning 115-104 overtime win.
One of the biggest adjustments New York made was repeatedly attacking Harden defensively late in the game. Knicks head coach Mike Brown openly admitted after the game that targeting Harden became part of the strategy once fatigue began setting in.
Brunson relentlessly hunted switches involving Harden and repeatedly got into his spots during the comeback run. The Knicks closed the game on a devastating 44-11 stretch after trailing by over 20 points.
Harden struggled statistically. He finished with 15 points, four rebounds, and three assists while shooting just 5-for-16 from the field and 1-for-8 from three-point range. More damaging were the six turnovers, many of which directly fueled New York’s transition offense during the collapse.
Still, Atkinson never considered pulling him from the game.
“No. Listen, he’s been one of our best defenders in these playoffs. I trust him. Smart, great hands. Didn’t think about that.”
That statement surprised many, considering Harden’s long-standing reputation as a defensive liability throughout parts of his career. But this version of Harden has been different during Cleveland’s playoff run. The 36-year-old has played physically, rotated well defensively, and used his strength and hands effectively against opposing guards and wings.
Before Game 1, Harden had been one of the stabilizing veterans during Cleveland’s postseason push. He is averaging 19.7 points, 6.0 assists, and 5.1 rebounds throughout the playoffs while helping guide Cleveland to its first conference finals appearance since LeBron James left the franchise in 2018.
But Game 1 exposed some concerns.
Brown even revealed that during his days coaching the Golden State Warriors, the staff used to track Harden’s dribbles because excessive ball-handling eventually wore him down physically during playoff games.
That fatigue appeared late again against New York. Still, Cleveland’s locker room is not panicking yet. Donovan Mitchell admitted the Cavaliers blew it after the game, but stressed the series is far from over.
For Atkinson, the trust in Harden remains unchanged despite the ugly ending. Now the real question becomes whether Cleveland can make enough adjustments before Game 2, because the Knicks have already shown exactly where they plan to attack.
