Donovan Mitchell demands that more people respect James Harden’s greatness originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers have been eliminated from the 2026 Playoffs in a sweep. It was a tough ending to a solid postseason run, which included James Harden, who just joined the team midway through the 2025-26 season.
In the first two rounds of the 2026 postseason, the Cavs had a tough time getting past the Toronto Raptors and the Detroit Pistons, but they always had a reliable backcourt with Mitchell and Harden. Now, Harden is getting criticized for his postseason struggles again, and Mitchell is not having it.
Donovan Mitchell wants people to put respect on James Harden’s name
The sweep at the hands of the New York Knicks will always be a bitter result. Mitchell wants people to know that he and the rest of the team are holding themselves accountable because it was a tough defeat.
With the loss comes criticism, and Harden is often a big target for the critics. Mitchell dislikes what is being said about Harden, so he came to his backcourt partner’s defense in the post-Game 4 presser.
MORE: James Harden still believes in the Cavaliers being a better team than the Knicks after the sweep
Mitchell played relatively well in the Eastern Conference Finals as the main man for Cleveland. Unfortunately, that will be forgotten because it was a sweep. Despite that, Harden is getting the brunt of the criticism, something Mitchell does not want to see and hear.
“I think y’all ignore his greatness in a major way. This man changed the game of basketball in ways we’ve never seen before. We live in such a ring-dominant culture that we write guys off. It’s truly unfair,” Mitchell said in his press conference after getting swept in Game 4.
Now, the Cavaliers are headed into the offseason with a tough loss. They will now look to make improvements within the team, while the players will work hard to get back at the Knicks and reach the NBA Finals.
This is a process for the players, the same thing that the Knicks experienced over the past few years. Mitchell believes the team can do the same as long as they stick together and work hard.
More NBA news:
- Clyde Frazier sees Jalen Brunson as the main man in New York for years to come
- Kenny Atkinson highlights how the Knicks dominated the Cavs in the ECF
- Josh Hart celebrates the New York Knicks’ sacrifices over the 2025-26 season
- How the Knicks’ gamble on Jalen Brunson led to the NBA Finals
- Kenny Atkinson still believes in the Knicks for taking a positive step despite the sweep