Cavaliers superstar Donovan Mitchell defended James Harden’s legacy amid ring debate, where it is also about how it impacts the game.
Harden fell short all over again in pursuit of his first championship in Year 17, after being swept by the New York Knicks in Game 4.
The 36-year-old veteran arrived from the Los Angeles Clippers through midseason trade, and contributed a major factor to the Cavs’ Eastern Conference finals trip.
In speaking of postgame presser, Mitchell said that Harden changed the game of basketball, which was not just all about championship.
“This man changed the game of basketball. We live in such a ring-dominant culture that we’re willing to write a guy off because he hasn’t gotten there — a guy that’s transcended basketball. We don’t talk about his greatness enough,” Mitchell said in his postgame presser, via SNY.
Mitchell also emphasized Harden’s Brooklyn Nets stint, where he is close enough from the Conference Finals, but just unfortunate to undergo a hamstring injury.
“He was two inches away from a Conference Finals with the Brooklyn Nets. Some of that is just unlucky stuff, can’t control that. And he was on a bad hamstring. We don’t talk about him playing through it. … I think it’s really, truly unfair, to be honest. Now, more than ever, that I see it on a daily basis, but that’s just the society we live in.”
The 11-time All-Star averaged 23.6 points, 8 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 43.4% from the field in his 26 appearances for the Cavaliers.
