‘Vintage’ James Harden silences haters with defiant two-word response after clutch Cavaliers heroics

With the Cleveland Cavaliers down 2-0, they needed some heroics from one of the NBA’s best.

James Harden, arguably the best NBA player to never win a ring, put the Cavs on his shoulders in the final quarter on Saturday afternoon.

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After a pair of lackluster performances to open the series, Cleveland was down 2-0 against the Detroit Pistons.

Harden had 46 playoff games with more turnovers than field goals, breaking an unwanted 71-year NBA record which resulted in criticism. 

However, on Saturday, the 17-year veteran delivered when it mattered and did so, silencing his critics.

Detroit had come back from down 16 points at halftime to force the Cavs into the clutch situation on Saturday.

Harden hit three shots and scored seven points in the final 90 seconds as Cleveland held off a surging Pistons squad to bring the series to 2-1.

Immediately after the game in a sideline interview, he delivered just two words to respond to the criticism he faced: “What chatter?”

“I didn’t average 30 points in the regular season; you know what I mean? I’m literally here to find my spots, figure out what needs to be done and try to contribute in the best way possible,” Harden added, via ESPN. 

“Chatter is going to be chatter regardless. Whether you do something good, whether you do something bad. For me, still, you give me opportunities in this fourth quarter, and I take advantage of them.”

Cleveland acquired Harden at the trade deadline for situations like this, providing a steady hand and calming presence next to star Donovan Mitchell, who scored 35 points in Game 3.

Mitchell himself reached 2,000 postseason points, tying for the third-fastest active player to reach this milestone.

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In the first two-games, as he has done across his career, he struggled to find his shooting rhythm.

He shot 32 percent, including 1 for 11 on 3-pointers during two Cavs losses in Detroit, and he had committed more turnovers (11) than he made field goals (nine).

Kenny Atkinson ‘heart-to-heart’ inspires late Harden heroics

The Cavaliers have won just one NBA title in their 56-year franchise history and have made it to the playoffs in four consecutive seasons.

But, down 2-0 in the semi-finals and the Pistons seemingly having all the momentum, head coach Kenny Atkinson took it into his own hands to inspire Harden.

“Vintage James Harden,” Atkinson told cleveland.com in a phone call late Saturday evening. 

“It started yesterday. I just doubled down with him in our conversation. I told him, ‘You’re our guy.’

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“In between games, I think that’s when you really coach. I think that’s where you make your money in this league. You have to have those conversations. 

“Pick guys up when it’s not going perfect. Reaffirm your belief in them. Just double down on the trust you have in them.”

Atkinson’s heart-to-heart successfully unlocked Harden’s vintage form, shifting the momentum with the Cavaliers chasing a 2-2 equalizer on Monday night.

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