James Harden overcomes game 7 demons, Cleveland Cavaliers crush Toronto Raptors

The first round of the NBA playoffs concluded Sunday with a doubleheader of massive Game 7s. After the Detroit Pistons emerged victorious, all eyes turned to the Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers.

As soon as the pregame show began, analysts asked the key question: how would James Harden perform? In his previous two Game 7 appearances, he went 0–2, and his stat lines suggested he was virtually a no-show.

In the Cavaliers’ most important game of the 2025–26 season, would Harden deliver another letdown? He answered emphatically and put his Game 7 struggles to rest.

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The Cavaliers started slowly, but the Raptors’ early push proved to be their best stretch of the night. Once the second half began, Cleveland took control and smothered Toronto.

Harden shot 3-of-9 from the field and 11-of-13 from the free-throw line, finishing with 18 points and a +9 rating. His performance stood as his strongest Game 7 showing in recent memory and made a significant impact.

Both teams entered Game 7 deadlocked—not only in the series record but also in total scoring. Each had scored 669 points, leaving one final game to decide everything.

The Cleveland crowd delivered a playoff atmosphere, reinforcing why Harden agreed to the trade: it gives him his best chance to win now.

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