Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden is one of this generation's best players, as his numbers show. He even has an MVP to his name, but people still seem to ignore that because of his apparent lack of postseason success.

It is a valid criticism because Harden has struggled during the Playoffs. However, that should not invalidate Harden's overall greatness because he has cemented himself as a player who will be looked back on as one of the leading names of his generation.

Donovan Mitchell defends James Harden from the disrespect

For the longest time, Harden has cemented himself as one of the best players over the past decade or so. He is on a similar tier as players like Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, who were also MVPs in their own right. Unfortunately for Harden and Westbrook, they tend to get disrespected because they don't have a championship ring.

As his teammate, Mitchell has gotten to know Harden more and more. They have natural chemistry as teammates on the floor, but it seems they have gotten along off the court as well. This has led to Mitchell feeling for Harden when he is disrespected by other people.

MORE: Donovan Mitchell praises James Harden's impact on the Cavaliers

Harden is a divisive figure, especially due to the contrast between his success as a regular season player and his struggles during the postseason. Despite that, Mitchell does not like seeing people disregard Harden's talent and personal success.

"I truly believe the only reason he’s not talked about like LeBron and KD is because of championship convos. Seeing his influence, his passion, his intention behind his game really puts in perspective how BS the narratives are," Mitchell said in defense of Harden.

Considering Harden could have won the championship had it not been for the dominant Golden State Warriors team, it is easy to understand why Mitchell is defending Harden. It will continue to be a struggle for Harden unless the Cavs win a championship. Mitchell will do his best to make an impact, as he wants to boost his teammate's legacy.

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