James Harden displays his playmaking skills in Cavaliers’ victory during his home debut.

CLEVELAND — In his initial two games with the Cleveland Cavaliers, James Harden demonstrated his ability to deliver crucial shots and make significant defensive plays in critical moments.

During his home debut in Cleveland, Harden proved he could also serve as a facilitator, allowing other team members to step up.

Harden recorded 13 points and 11 assists in 28 minutes during the Cavaliers’ 138-113 win against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night. Although he was 1-of-4 from the field, he excelled at the free-throw line, going 10-of-12.

“As I mentioned to them, I’ll figure it out. We will adjust to each other, but primarily, I will play alongside you all and adapt to what you have been doing, and I will find my rhythm, and they have been doing just that,” Harden stated. “So even tonight, I took four shots, but we won by 25 points. That is what matters most. And Sam [Merrill] got it going. I’m just here to win.

“So whatever that entails, whether I need to score a lot or take four shots and we win, that is what is most important to me. And tonight was one of those instances.”

Cleveland fans welcomed Harden warmly. The Cavaliers distributed beards on a stick to the packed crowd, and he received a standing ovation during pregame warmups.

“The crowd is always energetic. Every time I come here as an opponent, they are passionate about the Cavs and The Land, and they are very loyal, showing up every single night,” he remarked. “That was one of the aspects I was most looking forward to. Tonight was no exception.”

Harden was traded from the LA Clippers to Cleveland on February 3. In his Cavaliers debut on February 7 against Sacramento, he scored 17 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter of a 132-126 victory over the Kings.

On Monday night in Denver, Harden made a game-tying 3-pointer before Donovan Mitchell converted two free throws, leading the Cavaliers to a 119-117 win.

Wednesday’s game illustrated that Harden can still make a significant impact, even when not taking many shots. His 11 assists contributed to 26 points.

Merrill, who achieved a career-high 32 points, converted six baskets from Harden’s assists, including four 3-pointers, totaling 16 points.

“Most teams run similar plays, so a lot of it is just figuring out the terminology,” Merrill explained. “Today we reviewed clips of our offensive strategies, and there were three or four clips from the Clippers, and we were just observing what James was doing.”

Harden has recorded two double-doubles in his three games with Cleveland, including 10 rebounds against the Nuggets.

Even with Harden’s presence, Mitchell’s scoring has remained unaffected. The All-Star guard has scored at least 30 points in three consecutive games.

“He sees the game from a different perspective,” Mitchell noted. “I didn’t realize he only took four shots, but he’s out there creating opportunities, making plays, and his presence opens up the lane for everyone else. He is also coaching from the bench during timeouts, which is why he is here.”

The Cavaliers have secured five consecutive wins and 10 of their last 11 games. They hold a record of 17-5 since December 29, boasting the best winning percentage in the league during that period at .773.

Cleveland has continued to thrive despite the addition of three new players—Harden, Dennis Schroder, and Keon Ellis—over the past two weeks without the benefit of practice to integrate them. Merrill pointed out that their preparation has primarily consisted of film sessions and optional shootarounds due to the tight game schedule.

Coach Kenny Atkinson expressed his anticipation for the upcoming All-Star break, which will provide an opportunity to take a step back while also exploring ways to enhance their performance.

“I haven’t had the chance to delve as deeply as I would like to see how we can utilize them more effectively. However, it is evident that they have immediate chemistry,” he remarked. “We ran that one play for Sam, I don’t know, eight times, and James was essentially the architect of that, collaborating with Donovan. I will aim to review more film to determine how we can assist him further. But right from the start, we have seen it. Some players truly understand the game well.”