Cavaliers Film Room: What James Harden Must Do Different in Raptors Series

Cleveland Cavaliers James Harden could make life miserable on the Toronto Raptors.

Apr 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) looks to shoot in the third quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers are more talented and deeper than the Toronto Raptors.

That was the case earlier in the season, but the Raptors took all three regular season matchups against the Cavs.

The two teams haven’t met since Lonzo Ball was getting significant minutes with the Cavaliers. The Darius Garland for James Harden swap hadn’t happened yet. The acquisition of Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis hadn’t happened yet, either.

That’s why Harden is the player that needs to show up against the Raptors.

Harden has been a welcomed addition to the Cavaliers, as the team’s turnaround really took off once he arrived. A true point guard, Harden has shown a willingness to get teammates involved while taking a backseat to Donovan Mitchell, who has been playing an inspired brand of basketball since his new backcourt partner arrived.

What does Harden need to do differently in NBA Playoffs?

Harden has successfully unlocked Cleveland’s two bigs, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.

Heading into the NBA Playoffs, Mobley is playing some of the best basketball of his career. Mobley and Allen have both dominated the paint since Harden’s arrival, catching lobs and making life easy on their 37-year-old guard. 

The Raptors are one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the league. They ranked 26th or worse in both 3-pointers attempted (32.1 per game) and 3-pointers made (11 per game).

This series can be wrapped up quickly if Harden trusts his jumpshot. Since arriving in Cleveland, Harden has been passive. But his playmaking ability has helped Harden shake the “ballhog” label that has followed him throughout his career.

Now, it’s time to let Harden just shoot the rock.

The Cavs are a good three-point shooting team. It’s what drives their offense. The roster is littered with capable three ball shooters, including Mitchell, Max Strus, Sam Merrill and Dean Wade, who will all play meaningful minutes against Toronto. But there’s no reason for Harden to be passive in this series, as the Raptors won’t be able to keep up with him and Cleveland’s offense.

Since arriving in Cleveland, Harden is shooting 43.5% from three-point territory. He’s shooting seven threes per night, which feels like a lot. But the Cavaliers will encourage Harden to let it fly against the Raptors. If they can outscore Toronto early in these games, it’ll suffocate the Raptors, who just won’t have enough talent to keep up.

Harden has fit seamlessly into Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson’s system. Now, it’s time for the 37-year-old to show the world why Cleveland acquired him.