Harden scores 32 points, Cavs beat Knicks
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NEW YORK -- James Harden scored a season-high 32 points, more than double his average during a tough start to 2026-27, and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the New York Knicks 115-107 on Wednesday night.
Donovan Mitchell added 23 for the Cavaliers in their first trip to Madison Square Garden since the Eastern Conference finals, when the Knicks erased a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter of Game 1 to win in overtime, then took Game 2 en route to a four-game sweep.
This time the Cavaliers were better down the stretch, with Harden hitting a go-ahead 3-pointer to snap a 101-all tie with 4:21 remaining. The three-time NBA scoring champion came in averaging 15.3 points for the season and shooting just 36.4% from the floor.
Jalen Brunson scored 27 for the Knicks, who had their four-game winning streak snapped. Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, tying Willis Reed’s franchise record with his 11th straight double-double to begin a season.
Cleveland kept opening leads throughout the second half that New York would either nearly or entirely erase, only to quickly surge ahead again. The Cavs went ahead 95-85 with 8:25 remaining, but the Knicks responded with a 14-4 run to tie it.
With the Cavs ahead by one, Evan Mobley scored before Jarrett Allen got the next four points, including a ferocious dunk to make it 110-103.
Allen had 11 points and 14 rebounds for the Cavs, who had lost two in a row, including at home to the Knicks on Saturday.
Harden was 4 for 4 in the second quarter, with three 3-pointers, for 13 points as the Cavaliers took a 59-53 lead at the half.
Up next
Cavaliers: Visit Miami on Friday night.
Knicks: Visit Indiana on Friday night.
CAVALIERS 115, KNICKS 107
CLEVELAND -- Mobley 4-8 2-4 10, Watson 2-12 1-2 7, Allen 4-7 3-3 11, Harden 9-14 9-11 32, Mitchell 8-15 5-5 23, Tyson 1-5 0-0 3, Hezonja 0-1 0-0 0, Proctor 6-12 0-0 15, Thomas 6-11 0-0 14. Totals 40-85 20-25 115.
NEW YORK -- Anunoby 3-9 6-6 14, Hart 3-8 0-0 6, Towns 7-11 5-5 21, Bridges 1-3 0-0 2, Brunson 12-23 0-0 27, Diawara 1-3 0-0 2, Drummond 0-2 0-0 0, Kolek 2-3 0-0 4, McBride 7-13 0-0 19, Shamet 5-8 0-0 12. Totals 41-83 11-11 107.
Cleveland-33-26-23-33--115
New York-23-30-23-31--107
3-Point Goals_Cleveland 15-38 (Harden 5-7, Proctor 3-8, Thomas 2-4, Watson 2-5, Mitchell 2-7, Tyson 1-5, Mobley 0-2), New York 14-39 (McBride 5-10, Brunson 3-8, Shamet 2-4, Towns 2-5, Anunoby 2-6, Kolek 0-1, Diawara 0-2, Hart 0-3). Fouled Out_None. Rebounds_Cleveland 40 (Allen 14), New York 34 (Towns 11). Assists_Cleveland 23 (Mitchell 6), New York 33 (Towns 8). Total Fouls_Cleveland 18, New York 21. A_19,812 (19,812)