Cavaliers Vs Nets: Harden, Playing Through Fractured Thumb, Spurs Cleveland Past Brooklyn 106-102
In New York, Cleveland snapped a two-game skid with a 106-102 victory over the Brooklyn Nets as James Harden returned to the lineup with a broken thumb in the cavaliers vs nets matchup. Harden’s return after missing two games and X-rays that showed a non-displaced fracture shifted the late sequence and helped the Cavaliers close out a tight game.
Cavaliers Vs Nets: Harden’s numbers and injury timeline
James Harden scored 22 points in his return, shooting 5 for 9 from the field, 4 for 7 from 3-point range and 8 for 12 from the free throw line, while adding nine rebounds and eight assists. He had missed two games after fracturing his thumb earlier in the week. He was injured Tuesday night in a 109-94 home victory over New York; X-rays Wednesday showed a non-displaced fracture of the distal phalanx. The 17-year veteran had been traded by the Los Angeles Clippers to Cleveland on Feb. 4.
Second-half rally and late free throws sealed the win
Brooklyn carried a 56-42 lead into halftime, helped by 50% shooting (21 for 42) from the field, but Cleveland rallied in the second half and led by eight with just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter before Brooklyn pushed back. Nolan Traore cut the margin to 102-99 with a basket with 28. 6 seconds remaining. Danny Wolf sank two free throws to make it 102-101 with 9. 2 seconds showing.
Dennis Schroder then made a pair of free throws and Wolf hit 1 of 2, giving the Cavaliers a two-point lead with 5. 9 seconds left. Schroder and Evan Mobley added free throws in the final seconds to seal the 106-102 outcome.
Stat lines: Allen, Mobley, Porter Jr. and Wolf
Jarrett Allen finished with 20 points while Evan Mobley had 16 points and 13 rebounds, part of Cleveland’s run that left them 12-1 in their last 13 games against the Nets. Sam Merrill contributed 15 points and Dennis Schroder scored 10 for the Cavaliers. For Brooklyn, Michael Porter Jr. led the way with 26 points on 10-for-17 shooting and Danny Wolf added 23 points and nine rebounds. Nolan Traore scored 17 and Grant Nelson had 11 as the Nets fell to 15-45 overall.
Nets skid and team context
Brooklyn’s loss extended the team’s losing streak to eight games and marked the 11th defeat in 13 outings. The Nets’ first-half efficiency created a challenging deficit for Cleveland, but the Cavaliers’ second-half adjustments and late free-throw execution produced the final margin.
