The Cavaliers officially announced that Harden has a fractured right thumb! He plans to play through the injury, with two medical experts providing a detailed analysis of his condition.

On February 26 Beijing time, the Cavaliers officially stated that guard Harden suffered a nondisplaced fracture at the distal phalanx of his right thumb. He was injured in yesterday’s match versus the New York Knicks and had an X-ray today to verify the injury. Some images from the game reveal his right thumb wrapped in tape.

The team announced that Harden will receive treatment and continuous evaluation of his injury; his participation in today’s game against the Bucks is currently doubtful.Shams reported that Harden intends to compete despite the injury.Mitchell (groin) and Mobley (injury management) have been confirmed out for today’s game.

Harden was not immediately ruled out for today’s game, suggesting that this injury likely does not require a long-term absence. However, the final decision will depend on the treatment plan, and the Cavaliers said they will provide timely updates on the star guard’s status.

Following this, two medical experts analyzed Harden’s injury—

Medical expert Jeffries stated: Harden is somewhat fortunate in two ways: 1. Only the distal phalanx of the thumb is injured, 2. The injury is on his right hand (non-shooting hand). He will need to tape and stabilize the thumb in every game to reduce the risk of a displaced fracture. This will impact his catching and ball-handling.

Medical expert Stotts explained: The thumb consists of two phalanges. Harden fractured the distal phalanx (tip of the thumb), and it is a nondisplaced fracture. For a quick return, this is the best-case scenario. Players with this type of injury who avoid surgery typically miss an average of 6.5 games (about 17 days).

Although this outcome is the best possible under the circumstances for both the Cavaliers and Harden, the extent to which the injury will affect his future performance remains to be seen. Since being traded from the Clippers to the Cavaliers at the trade deadline this month, the 36-year-old Harden has been efficient, averaging 18.9 points and 8.0 assists in 32.0 minutes over seven games, shooting 49.4% from the field, 48.8% from three, and 86.7% from the free-throw line.

Cavaliers head coach Atkinson said after the win over the Knicks that Harden’s arrival has restored the team’s confidence. The Cavaliers have won 13 of their last 15 games, including six wins in the seven games Harden has played.

“We know we’ve become stronger,” Atkinson said in an interview. “This energy, this confidence somehow makes everyone play harder, compete more fiercely, and defend more intensely. We were missing this sharpness and belief for a while, but we’re slowly regaining it, largely thanks to the players acquired through the trade.”

After the game, Harden commented that the team is playing well but still has room for improvement.

“We probably have about 25 regular-season games left? I believe we can reach our goal,” Harden said. “In fact, I firmly believe it. I think everything starts with defense. On offense, we can have six players score in double digits... Defense is the key. If we focus on defense, successfully defend possessions, and limit opponents to only one shot per possession, we will become very, very tough to beat.”