Cleveland Cavaliers star James Harden has been named to a list that no player wants to be on.
The Cleveland Cavaliers will enter the new NBA season ready to contend for a title once again.
After reaching the Eastern Conference Finals last season, the Cavaliers are ready to prove themselves as contenders. With Donovan Mitchell and James Harden leading this group, Cleveland does have the feel of a team that can win it all.
But there are some glaring holes and questions that remain around this Cavaliers roster heading into the year. One of them has to do with Harden, and whether he can actually perform up to par once the playoffs come around.
According to NBA analyst Kurt Helin of NBC Sports, Harden is one of a few players who enter the new season under the most pressure. As always with the Cavaliers star, nobody is worried about him during the regular season, but instead, it's all about his postseason success.
Harden has been one of the best-scoring guards in the NBA over his career, potentially even in the history of the league. But he has fallen flat in the playoffs almost year after year, leading to real questions about his legacy.
The overall legacy of Harden is pretty much set at this point with him being 37-years-old. But the one major piece of his career that is still missing is an NBA title, and it has alluded him throughout his time in the league.
Harden did make one NBA Finals appearance back in 2012 with the Oklahoma City Thunder, but he was seen as the third option behind Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. So, coming into this season with the Cavaliers, the veteran guard will need to step up his game when the lights are brightest.
Cleveland rewarded Harden with a three-year, $97 million contract this offseason, showing faith that he can be the missing piece for this group. But now, it's Harden's turn to figure it out and help lead this team to the promised land.
Over his career, Harden has averaged 24.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game, while shooting 36.4 percent from beyond the three-point line.
But in the playoffs, his numbers have dropped down to a career average of 22.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game, while shooting 33.7 percent from distance.
Playing next to Mitchell, Harden does have some pressure taken off of him. But Mitchell can't do it all by himself, and he will need his co-star to do his part come playoff time
