Cavaliers Vs Nets: Harden returns with broken thumb as Cleveland wins 106-102
NEW YORK — In a game that directly shifted momentum for both clubs, the cavaliers vs nets matchup ended 106-102 as James Harden returned to the Cleveland lineup with a broken thumb and the Cavaliers snapped a two-game skid on Sunday.
Cavaliers Vs Nets: Harden’s return and the broken-thumb diagnosis
James Harden scored 22 points in his return after missing two games following a fractured thumb earlier in the week. X-rays Wednesday showed a non-displaced fracture of the distal phalanx after he was injured Tuesday night in a 109-94 home victory over New York. The 17-year veteran shot 5 for 9 from the field, 4 for 7 from 3-point distance and 8 for 12 from the line, and added nine rebounds and eight assists. Harden was traded by the Los Angeles Clippers to Cleveland on Feb. 4.
Supporting Cavaliers performances and availability notes
Jarrett Allen scored 20 points and Evan Mobley finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds, helping Cleveland rally in the second half. Sam Merrill added 15 points and Dennis Schroder had 10. Donovan Mitchell was sidelined for a third straight game with a groin injury, and Dean Wade did not play because of a sprained ankle. The Cavaliers improved to 12-1 in their last 13 games against the Nets and will host the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday.
Brooklyn’s scorers and the growing slump
Michael Porter Jr. led the Nets with 26 points on 10-for-17 shooting and Danny Wolf scored 23 points with nine rebounds. Nolan Traore contributed 17 points and Grant Nelson had 11. The loss was Brooklyn’s eighth straight and its 11th defeat in 13 games, dropping the Nets to 15-45 overall.
Halftime edge, Cleveland rally and the final 30 seconds
Brooklyn led 56-42 at halftime, helped by 50% (21 for 42) shooting from the field, but Cleveland rallied in the second half and held an eight-point lead with just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter before Brooklyn mounted a late push. Traore cut the margin to 102-99 with a basket with 28. 6 seconds left. Wolf made two free throws to pull Brooklyn within one at 102-101 with 9. 2 seconds showing. 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 remaining, and Schroder and Mobley added free throws in the final seconds to seal the 106-102 victory.
What the result means for each team
The Cavaliers ended a two-game skid and reinforced their recent dominance over Brooklyn, improving to 12-1 in the last 13 matchups between the teams. For the Nets, the defeat extended a slide to eight consecutive losses and marked their 11th loss in 13 games, leaving the roster at 15-45 overall.
