James Harden turned in a game-winning performance in Game 3 of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Eastern Conference Semifinal series on Saturday, and capped it off with a two-word message to his critics.
Harden delivered seven points in the last 1:30, including a clutch three, to help the Cavs to a 116-109 win over the Detroit Pistons at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Oh. on Saturday. The bounceback performance came after Harden scored just 10 points on 3/13 shooting in the team’s Game 2 loss.
After the game, NBC’s Ashley ShahAhmadi asked Harden how he was able to silence the chatter around him to close out Game 3. Harden’s response was to the point.
“What chatter?” he asked.
James Harden talks with Ashley ShahAhmadi after the Cavs Game 3 win. pic.twitter.com/8nGjZIbk7G
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“I play basketball and whatever this team needs me to do, I’m gonna go out there and do it. Let the game play out, fourth quarter, my number was called, and I go to work,” Harden continued.
Harden certainly had to be aware of the widespread chatter about his awful Game 2 showing. Another poor performance in Game 3 would have risked leaving the Cavs down 3-0 in the series, but he was much improved, to say the least.
In total, Harden scored 19 points on 8/14 shooting with seven assists in Game 3. Cleveland will be looking for a similar performance on Monday in Game 4.
