James Harden's Impact on Cavs Discussed By Kenny Atkinson, HC Says Star is in LeBron 'Territory'

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson raved about guard James Harden in an interview with ESPN's Malika Andrews on Friday during the latest edition of NBA Today, even comparing him to LeBron James in regards to the different ways he can impact a team's on-court success.

"It makes my job so much easier," Atkinson said around the 45-second mark when asked how he adjusts "on the fly" to adding an All-Star player to the team.

"The elite IQ, the elite passing skills, and really, he's one of the best decision makers of all time, in my mind. He always makes the right read. He's in that LeBron, you know, that kind of territory where he can get you [40 points] or get 20 assists. So him and [Donovan Mitchell] have meshed, he's obviously meshed with Jarrett Allen, and now we got Evan Mobley back in the mix, so I'm not surprised that the transition has been pretty smooth."

Harden arrived in Cleveland after the Los Angeles Clippers traded him to the Cavs for Darius Garland and a second-round draft pick on Feb. 4.

The 36-year-old is an 11-time All-Star and eight-time All-NBA player who's averaged 24.5 points, 8.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game this season.

Cleveland has gone 6-1 with Harden on the court, and there's certainly hope he can vault the Cavs to a championship run.

Unfortunately, Harden suffered a nondisplaced fracture of his right thumb last Tuesday during his team's 109-94 home win over the New York Knicks. However, his return could be imminent, and he was even listed as questionable on the team's injury report for the Cavs' matchup on Friday at the Detroit Pistons.

Early returns ultimately showcase that Harden will be a tremendous asset in Cleveland, so it's no surprise Atkinson is thrilled to have him in town.