James Harden’s 32-Point Effort Leads Cavaliers Past Knicks

James Harden scored a season-high 32 points and hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer to secure a 115-107 win for the Cleveland Cavaliers against the New York Knicks.

James Harden scored a season-high 32 points to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 115-107 victory over the New York Knicks on Wednesday night. The 37-year-old guard shot 9-for-14 from the field and 5-for-7 from 3-point range, including a tiebreaking shot from deep with 4:21 remaining in the game. The win moved Cleveland to a 6-6 record in their first full season since acquiring Harden from the Los Angeles Clippers.

Prior to this performance at Madison Square Garden, Harden was averaging 15.3 points through 11 games while shooting 34.6% from the field. He entered the contest following a two-game stretch in which he recorded only five total baskets and six turnovers. According to the Associated Press, Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson noted that Harden is still adjusting to a new style of play alongside teammate Donovan Mitchell.

Harden, a three-time NBA scoring champion, addressed his early-season struggles by noting he is no longer the same player he was five or six years ago. While Atkinson stated the team does not require the 30-plus point averages Harden produced during his tenure with the Houston Rockets, he credited the guard's performance in New York as a return to top form. Harden currently shares the opponent scoring record at Madison Square Garden with Kobe Bryant, having previously scored 61 points in the arena.