Is James Harden Playing Tonight? (Injury Update, Betting Impact for Cavs vs. Pistons)

Cleveland Cavaliers star guard James Harden is listed as questionable for the second game in a row after sustaining a right thumb fracture on Tuesday night against the New York Knicks.

Harden was questionable and did not play on Wednesday on the second night of a back-to-back against the Milwaukee Bucks (the Cavs lost that game). Now, he's questionable again on Friday against the No. 1-seeded Detroit Pistons.

The Cavs may need Harden in action if they want any chance of winning this game, as Donovan Mitchell (groin) has been ruled out for the second game in a row.

Lengthy injury report for the #Cavs tomorrow in Detroit: Donovan Mitchell (groin) is out. Keon Ellis (index finger fracture), James Harden (thumb fracture), Dennis Schroder (ankle sprain) and Dean Wade (ankle sprain) are all questionable.
— Danny Cunningham (@RealDCunningham) February 26, 2026

Even with Harden questionable, the Cavs are major underdogs on the road against a Pistons team that is 22-7 at home in the 2025-26 season.

Harden reportedly plans to play through his fractured thumb, but it'll be interesting to see how the injury impacts for the former league MVP. Luckily, it isn't on his shooting hand, or Harden may have been forced to miss time.

Just in on NBA Today -- after hand specialist evaluation, Cavaliers star James Harden plans to play through his fractured right thumb: pic.twitter.com/xQz87Swecp
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 25, 2026

Since being traded to the Cavs ahead of the deadline in a deal that sent Darius Garland to the Los Angeles Clippers, Harden has appeared seven games with the Cavs posting a 6-1 record during that stretch.

He's averaging 18.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 8.0 assists on 12.4 shots per game with Cleveland. Harden has shot the lights out with his new team, knocking down 49.4 percent of his field goal attempts and 48.8 percent of his 3s.

If he's unable to play on Friday, the Cavs will likely move to even bigger underdogs against Detroit. They opened as 7.5-point underdogs after Mitchell was ruled out for this game.

The Cavs will provide an update on Harden's status closer to game time.

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