Following James Harden’s regular playoff failures, this time for the Cleveland Cavaliers, none other than Donovan Mitchell jumped to his defense. It’s certainly a sight to see, and one that fans of the LA Clippers cannot fathom, as the way Harden performed in the Eastern Conference Finals is simply inexcusable. How could one possibly justify two made baskets and five turnovers in an elimination game?
But Mitchell discovered the impossible by trying to draw comparisons to greats like Michael Jordan and LeBron James, and their struggles in the postseason earlier in their careers, which hints at a mistaken thought process, considering they’ve already seen success numerous times, backed by their multiple rings and Finals MVPs.
That said, the idea of Harden being in the same sentence as Jordan and James, particularly regarding the playoffs, is absolutely insane. There is a clear gap of multiple tiers, and that’s something Mitchell may not see.
James Harden is nowhere near comparable to Michael Jordan and LeBron James
The key takeaway from Donovan Mitchell defending James Harden is that he’s a great teammate. While this is excellent for team culture and something fans of the Cleveland Cavaliers should be excited about, Mitchell could’ve taken any other route than bringing Michael Jordan and LeBron James’ names into his argument.
Harden has made the NBA Finals once, losing with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and has been sent home in every other postseason of his career. For context, he’s never missed the playoffs since entering the league in 2009, which says a lot about him as a player.
However, Mitchell just disregards Harden's 0-17 record and compares the handful of struggles from the former MVP to James’ run against the Dallas Mavericks in 2011 and to how Jordan took nearly a decade to reach the NBA Finals.
Had Harden been in his mid-20’s, and Mitchell said what he said, no one would’ve looked at his logic sideways; time would’ve been on his side, just like it was for James and Jordan.
But Harden is nearing the end of his career, and Mitchell tried to draw comparisons that simply don’t make sense.
That said, talent-wise, sure, Mitchell can place the three in the same category. They are among the best the league has ever seen at their respective positions.
In terms of playoff success and wins, though, James and Jordan need to be separated far, far above from Harden.
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