James Harden and the Cleveland Cavaliers have now been eliminated from the NBA Playoffs after a sweep at the hands of the New York Knicks. It was a tough result because the Cavaliers are talented enough to keep up with the Knicks.
Unfortunately for the Cavs and their fans, they did not get a single win in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks. Despite the harrowing defeat, it seems Harden still has the utmost faith in his team.
James Harden still believes in the Cavs despite suffering a sweep
The Cavs did get swept, but it seems the players are looking at the bigger picture. Harden has complete faith in his team, which is a good trait to have, especially if he plans on staying for the long-term future.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson echoed similar sentiments, as he believes the Cavaliers took a step in the right direction. It might be an embarrassing ending with the sweep, but the Cavs did have a lot of struggles in the regular season.
MORE: Kenny Atkinson believes the Cavs still took a step in the right direction despite the ECF sweep
The Cavs were a team that faced one of the worst injury crises in the league. That led them to make trades for players like Harden, Keon Ellis, and Dennis Schroder. Of course, the results will outweigh everything, but Harden does have some reasons to believe in his team.
"It was 4-0, but I don't think we had a chance as far as our best shot. From the standpoint of our circumstances. Obviously, they dominated us 4-0... Genuinely, I do feel like we are the better team. Series-wise, we didn't show it," Harden said after getting swept by the Cavaliers.
It was an unfortunate ending for the Cavaliers, but it seems they will be running it back. The front office will likely make some moves to improve on the roster, but the core will likely remain the same unless a blockbuster trade happens.
More NBA news:
- Kenny Atkinson praises the Knicks after they swept the Cavaliers
- James Harden still gets a unique milestone in the 2026 NBA Playoffs
- A new shift in LeBron James' potential reunion with the Cavaliers
- The box score for the last game of the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals
- Kenny Atkinson's job security questioned by Stephen A. Smith

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