James Harden is refusing to let the Cleveland Cavaliers’ spirits sink despite a devastating 109-94 loss to the New York Knicks that has left them trailing 0-3 in the Eastern Conference Finals. Following a Game 3 where he struggled from deep, the veteran guard insisted that a turnaround is possible if they can simply find their rhythm.
“We’re still confident. Our confidence is never going away. We’re more than capable. Make some shots and the series turns around,” Harden told reporters during his post-game availability. Despite finishing the night 8-of-15 from the field with 19 points, his 1-of-7 performance from three-point range highlighted the shooting woes that have plagued Cleveland throughout the series.
Harden admitted the Cavaliers could never quite get a grip on the game, noting that the Knicks played faster and capitalized on open opportunities that Cleveland missed. “A lot of open shots we got opportunities to make and we’re just not making them,” he explained.
Can anyone actually escape a 0-3 hole?
The challenge facing Cleveland is historically insurmountable, as the NBA has yet to see a single team successfully overturn a 3-0 series deficit. With a collective record of 0-161 for teams in this position, the Cavaliers are staring down a statistical wall that implies the Knicks have all but punched their ticket to the championship round.
James Harden Postgame After Game 3 Loss vs Knicks:
— Dylan🔮🎆 (@dillybar2145__) May 24, 2026
“[0:00] We could never really get a grip on the game…more times than not they [Knicks] just played a little bit faster & made some shots—[0:20, Little Rest] No excuses but in reality, definitely. You can see it. A lot of open… pic.twitter.com/rUk3rtLvZN
Harden, however, remains focused on the “one game at a time” mantra and believes the team can control their destiny starting with Game 4 on Monday. “No excuses. We have a game plan. We gotta execute our game plan a little bit better,” he remarked, shifting the blame for the shooting slump onto the players rather than the coaching staff or fatigue.
The former MVP believes that if Cleveland can finally start hitting shots, something he feels they haven’t done consistently since Game 1, it will allow their defense to set up in the half-court. While history is firmly against them, Harden concluded his talk by reiterating that the group is “more than capable” of being the first to break the league’s most durable playoff curse.
