The Cleveland Cavaliers just watched their championship window slam shut - at least temporarily. James Harden, the team's biggest offseason acquisition and the key to their title hopes, suffered a fractured right thumb during Tuesday night's win over the New York Knicks. He's undergoing further evaluations, and nobody in Cleveland is breathing easy right now.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Harden sustained the injury during the third quarter when he took an awkward fall while driving to the basket. He played through the pain for another eight minutes before heading to the locker room, which tells you everything about his toughness but nothing about how long he'll be out.
And that's the million-dollar question hanging over this franchise: how long? Thumb fractures can sideline players anywhere from two weeks to two months depending on severity. If it's a simple break that doesn't require surgery, the Cavaliers might escape with Harden missing 10-15 games. If it's more complex and needs surgical intervention, we're talking 6-8 weeks minimum. That could mean Harden misses the rest of the regular season and comes back rusty for the playoffs.
The Cavaliers went all-in this summer, trading three first-round picks and Darius Garland to the Los Angeles Clippers to acquire the 36-year-old Harden. The move was controversial - giving up that much for an aging star with playoff question marks - but it was working. Cleveland sits second in the Eastern Conference with a 38-18 record, and Harden has been masterful running the offense, averaging 19 points and 11 assists while shooting 40% from three.
"This team was built around James," one Cavaliers source told reporters.
