One Adjustment That Could Change Everything for Cavaliers

The Cavaliers allowed the Raptors to tie the series at 2-2 in Toronto. The Cavs struggled with turnovers and throwing assists. Could better ball distribution be the key to game 5?

Apr 26, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) looks for a passing option as he is covered by Toronto Raptors guard Jamal Shead (23) during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

In Toronto, the Cleveland Cavaliers appeared to struggle distributing the ball.

Ball distribution starts with your point guard, and for the Cavs that's former MVP James Harden. Harden has been terrific for the Cavaliers thus far, so what happened these past two games?

Harden had a phenomenal Game 1 recording 22 points and 10 assists. He followed up this showing by putting up an impressive 28 points and 4 assists in Game 2.

Game 3

However, Game 3 brought some difficulties for Harden as he scored 18 on only five made shots and four assists while turning the ball over twice as many times.

This lack of ball distribution played a large role in the Cavs disappointing Game 3 performance. Notably, Evan Mobley led the team in assists in game 3 with seven dimes. Donovan Mitchell and James Harden only combined for the same number (7) of assists in Game 3 as Mobley did.

If your backcourt duo, that is arguably the best in the league, is unable to distribute the ball at a higher caliber than your former DPOY power forward in a single game, then this playoffs will come to a disappointing close sooner rather than later.

Game 4

In Game 4, Harden was able to stuff the stat sheet with 19 points and eight assists. However, he recorded seven turnovers which were crushing for the Cavaliers and changed his role in the fourth quarter. 

Harden recorded half of his assists in the final quarter of the game. However, eagle eyed fans were able to notice one huge difference. He was no longer bringing the ball up, and Donovan Mitchell took over as the primary ball handler. 

Fans can remember a play where this didn’t work out, as Donovan Mitchell got an eight second violation with one minute left to play, and many fans were wondering why Harden was not bringing the ball down the court.

The truth of that play was Kenny Atkinson revoked primary ball-handling duties from Harden for a majority of the fourth, and it worked too. While Harden was playing off the ball, he was able to record four assists and splashed a three.

The result of this adjustment to move Harden off-ball was the highest scoring quarter the Cavs had all game by nine points.

Game 5

The key issue in Games 3 and 4 was ball distribution, and whether Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson decides to remedy that by continuing to let Mitchell remain the primary ball-handler is yet to be seen.

What the Cavaliers cannot do is have another game where the team only records 15 total assists like they did in Game 4. 

The Cavs also cannot have another game where Mobley is the leading distributor while Harden and Mitchell barely tie his assist count like Game 3.

If ball distribution proves to be exclusively a road challenge, then expect Atkinson to try out multiple adjustments, like letting Mitchell take over ball handling duties, until the Cavs break that funk.