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James Harden Says Cavaliers 'Better' than Knicks Despite ECF Sweep, Elimination
Harden said Cleveland was the better team despite a 4-0 sweep, citing poor shooting and limited production from role players.
- James Harden, the 11-time All-Star and 2017 NBA MVP, said his Cleveland Cavaliers are 'a better team' than the New York Knicks despite losing the Eastern Conference finals 4-0, telling reporters 'genuinely, I do feel like we are the better team. But series-wise, we didn't show it.'
- The Knicks outshot the Cavaliers 50% to 42.6%, creating a 475-398 scoring advantage in the sweep, with New York dominating Game 4 by 45 points and winning by an average margin of 23.7 points throughout the series.
- Harden's shooting efficiency plummeted from 46.6% in the regular season to 38.9% in the series, while role players Sam Merrill and Max Strus were held to roughly half their regular-season scoring averages; Jalen Brunson earned Eastern Conference finals MVP averaging 23.5 points and 7.8 assists.
- Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson credited the Knicks, saying 'You've just got to give them credit. Just got to give them a ton of credit,' while Harden signaled intent to remain in Cleveland; Mitchell is under contract for $50.1 million next season.
- The Knicks' 11-game winning streak positions them for a June 3 NBA Finals matchup against either the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs, who remain tied 2-2 in the Western Conference finals heading into Game 5 on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. EDT.
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James Harden doesn’t believe the Knicks were better than the Cavs — and he wants another shot in Cleveland
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavs enter an offseason packed with questions about coaching, roster construction and how to recover from a humiliating Eastern Conference finals exit at the hands of the Knicks.
·Cleveland, United States
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Total News Sources16
Leaning Left1Leaning Right3Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Center
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
50% Center
13%
C 50%
R 37%
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