Cleveland Cavaliers Cruise to Victory Against Washington Wizards In James Harden’s Home Debut

Jacob Perrine
Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (7) defends Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) in the first quarter.

Although it wasn’t a particularly close game in Cleveland on Wednesday night, Cavaliers fans were nonetheless treated to both the home debut of their newly acquired point guard, James Harden, and an impeccable shooting performance from Sam Merril in a 138- 113 blowout over the Washington Wizards.

Mitchell and Merril Lead the Way In Scoring While Harden Sets the Table On Offense

While Harden’s days of being a league-leading level scorer are long gone, the future Hall of Famer can still run an offense to perfection with just his passing, which was on full display all night. Harden scored 13 points on just 1-of-4 shooting from the floor, but dished out 11 assists in a maestro playmaking performance. That elite level of passing from Harden would help give other players like Cavaliers All-Star Donovan Mitchell and Merrill easy looks on offense.

Mitchell had 30 points in another great scoring performance, while Merrill would drop a game-high 32 points on a scorching 9 for 10 from beyond the arc. Merrill would also only miss one shot on the night, finishing 11 for 12 from the field overall.

The Cavaliers’ offense had an efficient night overall, shooting 54% from the field and a fairly efficient 42% from three-point range. The only blemish on the Cavaliers’ great night on offense was in the turnover department, where they committed 21 turnovers for the game.

Wizards Show Fight Despite Alex Sarr’s Absence

Although the Cavaliers would essentially be in control of the game from the opening tip, the Wizards did not go away quietly until the final period. After Cleveland jumped out to a 16-point lead on the back of a 40-point first quarter, the Wizards trimmed that double-digit lead down to just 8 in the third quarter. Much of that surge came from second-year Forward Kyshawn George, who led the way on offense for the Wizards with 17 points.

The overall inefficiency was prevalent throughout the game for Washington, as they shot 40% from the floor tonight. While the offense for the Wizards was as inefficient as it usually is this season, the defensive end is where they fell short.

The Cavaliers scored 56 points in the paint, thanks in part to the absence of defensive anchor Alex Sarr. The second-year big man has quickly emerged as one of the best shot blockers in the NBA this season, as he’s averaging an impressive 2 blocks per contest so far.

Cavs Keep Making Progress With 5th Straight Win

Shortly after acquiring Harden before the 2025-26 NBA deadline, the Cavaliers have seemingly dusted off their early-season woes as they continue to keep piling up wins. This latest victory over the Wizards not only gave them their fifth straight win, but it also marked their 10th victory in the last 11 games. Cleveland had been fluctuating between the 5th-place and 7th-place position in the Eastern Conference standings over the past two months.

While the Cavaliers will have to wait a little bit longer to move up the standings following the New York Knicks’ victory over the Philadelphia 76ers tonight to retain the 3rd-place spot, the recent success is a good sign for the previously struggling Cavaliers. Their success, combined with now having a seasoned player like Harden, makes the Cavaliers a very dangerous team that every team in the current Eastern Conference playoff picture should not look past.