The Cleveland Cavaliers got the job done in Game 7 against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, but the play of veteran guard James Harden didn’t seem to leave a very strong impression on sports media personality Skip Bayless.
After Harden turned in a forgettable shooting performance, Bayless declared that the 11-time All-Star’s teammates “took him along for a victorious ride” in the do-or-die game.
I've never trusted James Harden in Game 7s. Tonight: 3-9 and 1-5 from 3. But tonight Donovan Mitchell and Jared Allen and Merrill and Strus took him along for a victorious ride.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) May 4, 2026
While Harden did miss some shots in the elimination game, he still made an impact. He finished with 18 points (thanks largely to an 11-for-13 night from the charity stripe) while adding six rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Other players were able to fill in the gaps and help the Cavs earn a crucial victory. The MVP of the game was likely big man Jarrett Allen, who silenced critics with a 22-point, 19-rebound performance. Teammate Donovan Mitchell also finished with 22 in the scoring column, giving each of them a share of the team lead for the game.
The Cavs will now face the Detroit Pistons in the second round with a chance to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, something they haven’t done during the Mitchell era.
Harden, for his part, came to Cleveland with a mixed bag of a playoff track record. In Game 7s specifically, the history isn’t pretty. He has now played in eight such games in his NBA career, and in those games, he has shot just 35.3 percent from the field and 22.2 percent from beyond the arc.
As such, some of Bayless’ skepticism is warranted. But Harden is still a player who has appeared in a whopping 180 playoff games in the NBA and maintained averages of 22.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists per contest, so Cleveland can take some comfort in knowing that its point guard has a decent floor in terms of postseason production.
If the Cavs get to another Game 7 in these playoffs, they may need Harden to have a better showing. But for now, the team is likely just focused on Game 1 of its upcoming series against the Pistons.
