Cavaliers Vs Nets: James Harden Returns with Broken Thumb as Cleveland Edges Brooklyn 106-102

NEW YORK — James Harden scored 22 points in his return to the lineup with a broken thumb as the Cavaliers snapped a two-game skid with a 106-102 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday in a cavaliers vs nets matchup that featured a second-half rally and tense final seconds.

Harden's return and injury context

Harden had missed two games after fracturing his thumb earlier in the week. He shot 5 for 9 from the field, 4 for 7 from 3-point distance and 8 for 12 from the free throw line while adding nine rebounds and eight assists in the comeback. He was injured Tuesday night in a 109-94 home victory over New York; X-rays taken 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.

cavaliers vs nets: Second-half rally and late drama

Brooklyn led 56-42 at halftime, helped by 50% (21 for 42) shooting from the field, but Cleveland rallied in the second half to turn the game. The Cavaliers held an eight-point lead with just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter before Brooklyn mounted a late push. Nolan Traore cut the gap to three points with a basket with 28. 6 seconds left, and Danny Wolf trimmed it to a one-point game at 102-101 with two free throws and 9. 2 seconds remaining.

Final sequence that decided the game

Dennis Schroder steadied Cleveland with a pair of free throws, and Wolf made 1 of 2 from the line, leaving the Cavaliers with a two-point advantage with 5. 9 seconds left. Schroder and Evan Mobley added free throws in the final seconds to seal the 106-102 result for Cleveland.