James Harden and the Cleveland Cavaliers fell short of reaching the NBA Finals as the New York Knicks completed the sweep in a dominant Game 4 performance on Monday.
While the Cavs failed to win a game in the Eastern Conference Finals, Harden still believes Cleveland had the better team.
“It was 4-0, but I don’t think we had a chance as far as our best shot,” Harden told reporters. “They dominated us 4-0. But I don’t know if I can necessarily answer that question. Because genuinely I do feel like we’re the better team.”
Harden, who has a player option this summer, also said that he “100 percent” wants to return to Cleveland next season.
Harden has been chasing a title his entire career, which has led to him bouncing from team to team over the last six years. After Cleveland’s shortcomings in the Eastern Conference Finals, it’s fair to wonder whether Harden is interested in jumping ship and joining a team that looks better equipped to win a championship.
His thoughts might change, but it appears he’s hoping to run it back with the Cavs.
Of course, whether Cleveland is willing to commit to an extension could be a factor. The former MVP didn’t exactly increase his value in the conference finals as he averaged 16.0 points, 3.0 assists and 4.3 turnovers per game across four contests. He also shot a lackluster 38.9 percent from the field and 17.9 percent from deep.
Star guard Donovan Mitchell is also ready to commit to Cleveland long term, a decision that will probably be easier for the Cavs to make.
“I love it here. I don’t know how else to say it, but I love it here,” Mitchell told reporters. “We have unfinished business. This city deserves a ring and we’re just gonna keep going.”
The first order of business for the Cavs is diagnosing what went wrong and what they need to do to come back better next season.
In Harden’s opinion, it came down to the Knicks hitting the right shots.
“They made shots — some open, some just tough shots,” Harden said. “I don’t think we made really any. It’s pretty much pinpointed.”
The Cavs showed growth this year as they reached their first conference finals since the LeBron James days, but the way they ended the season leaves plenty of questions. After the sweep, Cleveland now has a long offseason ahead of it.
