In one of his best performances of the season, James Harden led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a big 115-107 road win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
The 37-year-old guard finished with 32 points—a season high—along with five three-pointers and four assists. In fact, it was he who put the Cavaliers ahead with a crucial three-pointer to make it 104-101, with 4:21 remaining, at a point when the Knicks had just completed their comeback from a double-digit deficit.
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The night also had a historic significance for Harden. He has now reached 345 career games with at least 30 points, tying the legendary Allen Iverson for 11th place on the NBA’s all-time list. Just ahead of them is Dominique Wilkins with 346.
At the same time, at the age of 37 years and 77 days, he became the oldest player in Cavaliers history to score 30 or more points in a game, surpassing Kyle Korver, who had achieved the same feat at the age of 36 years and 329 days.
The performance is even more impressive when you consider his difficult start to the season. Harden entered the game averaging just 15.3 points and shooting 36.4%, but in New York, he reminded everyone of the player who has been named the NBA’s leading scorer three times.
Donovan Mitchell added 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Jarrett Allen recorded a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds. The Cavaliers improved to 6-6, snapping a two-game losing streak.
For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson led the team in scoring with 27 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists. Towns also recorded his 11th consecutive double-double since the start of the season, tying Willis Reed’s franchise record.
New York saw its four-game winning streak come to an end and fell to 6-5, while Cleveland secured an important victory at a venue where it had struggled last postseason.
NBA Games:
Indiana Pacers–Washington Wizards 114–101
New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers 107-115
Toronto Raptors vs. Boston Celtics 93-98
Chicago Bulls vs. San Antonio Spurs 119-124
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Denver Nuggets 118-123
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Los Angeles Lakers 112-123
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Brooklyn Nets 111-145
Utah Jazz vs. Orlando Magic 108-123
Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors 115-108
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder 118-108
*Photo source: AP
