Harden, finally no longer the workhorse

In those four games with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Harden played 31.2 minutes on average, putting up 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 8.8 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block, shooting 51.2% from the field, 45.8% from beyond the arc, and 87.5% from the charity stripe.

The team has secured four consecutive wins, and Harden is clearly enjoying a more relaxed style of play.

A clear example in terms of playing time: with the Clippers as the main workhorse, he was required to play 35.4 minutes per game this season.

Changing teams has noticeably reduced his workload.

However, we have seen this kind of sweet situation with the Beard before.

When he first donned the Philadelphia 76ers jersey, he also sparked a "romantic connection" with Embiid, exchanging subtle glances and signals.

And what was the outcome?

The playoffs ended in disappointment once again...

We have become extremely familiar with Harden's style of play over these past ten-plus years.

Looking across NBA history, the Beard stands out as a top-tier playmaker, essentially embodying the system himself.

As Atkinson said, Harden makes the game simpler for his teammates.

The biggest beneficiaries of playing with him are the big men.

Clint Capela, DeAndre Jordan, Zubac, Allen, Mobley... a large group of interior players (as long as you can finish inside) feast under Harden's leadership.

Then they secure big contracts...

Last year Zubac even thrived, so Cleveland’s two more athletic big men have every reason to soar.

A simple pick-and-roll play is the offensive foundation.

Therefore, Allen is currently the most comfortable.

This skill of Harden’s is something Garland will never learn in his lifetime...

However, Harden’s all-encompassing style has a fatal flaw: it often causes conflicts with the team’s star players.

Especially when those players also demand significant ball possession.

This is why he has switched teams so many times and never found complete happiness.

If you watch Harden’s games, you’ll notice he cannot accept playing off the ball.

When he doesn’t have the ball, his enthusiasm drops significantly, and he rarely moves without the ball or initiates plays.

This results in a very low margin of error for the team.

When Harden’s individual offense struggles, the entire team tends to collapse.

Repeated playoff failures have proven this point time and again.

So, regarding Harden’s future with the Cavaliers: the current comfort might be temporary, as the playoffs will still test his individual scoring ability.

When opposing teams can switch defensively without limit, he faces tough one-on-one challenges...

Year after year, it remains a constant struggle.