ESPN Takes Shot at Cavaliers Stars Donovan Mitchell, James Harden

NBA analyst Ben Golliver of ESPN believes the Cleveland Cavaliers don't have a playoff closer. 

Golliver doesn't trust Mitchell or Harden, two of the best players in the NBA, to close a playoff game for the Cavaliers. 

Harden and Mitchell have not won a title. Both players are really, really talented.

However, Harden and Mitchell have had some unforgettable playoff collapses. 

The Cavaliers acquired Harden from the LA Clippers last season. Harden averaged 20.5 points and 7.7 assists per game for Cleveland in the regular season and 19.2 points and 5.5 assists per game in the playoffs.

Cleveland defeated the Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons to reach the Eastern Conference Finals last season for the first time since 1992 without LeBron James on the roster. The New York Knicks, who won the 2026 championship against the San Antonio Spurs, swept the Cavaliers in the conference finals.  

Mitchell is averaging 26.7 points per game in the regular season and 27.3 points per game in the playoffs in a Cleveland uniform. The Cavaliers acquired him from the Utah Jazz in 2022. 

One of the best players in NBA history, Harden has played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Clippers and Cavaliers. He holds career averages of 24.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game in the regular season and 22.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game in the playoffs.

Harden went to the NBA Finals in 2012 with the Thunder, who lost to LeBron and the Miami Heat in five games.

A top-75 player of all time, Harden has made 11 All-Star teams and eight All-NBA teams. He won the 2011-12 Sixth Man of the Year award with the Thunder and the 2017-18 MVP award with the Rockets.

The Cavaliers re-signed Harden to a three-year, $97 million contract this summer. Harden waited until September to sign his new deal because he was giving Cleveland time to get LeBron, who went to the 76ers. 

Mitchell enters this season with career averages of 25.1 points per game in the regular season and 27.8 points per game in the playoffs with the Jazz and Cavaliers. 

Mitchell signed a four-year, $273 million maximum contract extension this offseason. 

Only time will tell if Mitchell and Harden win a championship together. Just making it to the NBA Finals is tough, as the Knicks and 76ers are really, really good. 

And even if the Cavaliers reach the NBA Finals, the Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves or Denver Nuggets could win the West and those teams pose big, big challenges.