Cavs need James Harden’s steady hand to show up more consistently

The Cavaliers don’t need James Harden to turn back the clock and lead the NBA in scoring. They need him to help settle games before things get away from them.

That was part of the appeal of keeping him. Experience. Playmaking. Someone who can recognize what the offense needs and help get the ball there.

Through eight games, the Cavs have seen stretches of that. They’ve also seen enough inconsistency to land at 4-4, with Harden offering a fairly direct assessment of where things stand.

“We’re eight games in and we have to start figuring it out soon,” Harden told reporters, as covered in our earlier story. “We have shown steps of growth and flashes of being really really good. We’re just inconsistent.”

Harden included himself in that assessment, and fairly so. He finished Wednesday’s loss to the Thunder with 19 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

Those are useful contributions, but he was scoreless in a first quarter that ended with the Cavs trailing 37-20.

That doesn’t make the loss his responsibility alone. It does illustrate why the Cavs need more from the opening tip, including from the veteran entrusted with helping organize the offense.

With Donovan Mitchell alongside him and Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen inside, Harden has options. The challenge is helping those pieces work together consistently enough that the Cavs aren’t spending so many possessions trying to recover.

“Didn’t come out with the thrust we needed,” Harden said. “Fought back but it wasn’t enough. Gotta get off to better starts and sustain it for a whole game.”

That’s the assignment for everyone. Harden’s experience should make him a significant part of the solution.

There’s plenty of season left, and the Cavs have already shown they can play well. Now they need their veteran backcourt to help make that the expectation from the start of games, instead of something they find after falling behind.

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