New Cavs players united in message: Do what it takes to win

They have yet to practice or have a shootaround. They've managed to squeeze in two film sessions and a walkthrough. Yet the newly-minted Cavaliers have averaged 129.7 points in the three games since they shocked the NBA by acquiring James Harden from the Los Angeles Clippers. They also beefed up their backcourt in a second trade for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis from the Sacramento Kings. The results have been impressive. "They've had immediate chemistry," coach Kenny Atkinson said. The Cavs (34-21) went into the All-Star break riding a five-game winning streak and have won 10 of their last 11 games. Since Dec. 29, they are 17-5 and have the best winning percentage in the NBA (.773). The 36-year-old Harden told shooting guard Donovan Mitchell he'd adjust on the fly. "I told him I'll figure it out," he said. "We'll get some practices in (when they get back after All-Star weekend). It's all been on IQ." Harden, an 11-time All-Star, is averaging 19.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists in his first three games with Cleveland. He's shooting .455 from the field, .421 from the 3-point line and .909 from the foul line. "He makes the game easy for everybody else," Atkinson said. "They know the exact timing on each pass. He's elite at getting to the (foul) line. He's not even accustomed to what we're doing." Atkinson calls Harden a "basketball savant." "This is a superstar league," he said. "It's great for Cleveland. It's great for this market and for the fans. They had LeBron (James) here for a long time. This is another superstar in that category." Harden did a deep dive into the Cavs before the trade for Darius Garland was made. "I love basketball," he said. "I watch games when I'm not playing. When it was brought to my attention, I started tuning in on different lineups, rotations and who was on the roster. You have shooting, athleticism in your bigs, a head honcho in Don (Mitchell) and great coaching. You have a whole lot of guys who do whatever it takes to win." Forwards Evan Mobley (calf) and Dean Wade (ankle) are expected back in the lineup after the All-Star break. "When Ev comes back, it's going to be even better," Harden said. Strangely enough, Harden and Schroder have been traded a combined 13 times in their careers. "The whole loyalty thing is overrated," Harden said. "There is a lot of money involved. It's a business at the end of the day. For me, it's always about competing for a championship and making sure my family is taken care of." When Schroder and Ellis enter games, they are disruptive to opposing teams. Schroder said he has a "dog mentality." He said he believes the Cavs can do some big things in Cleveland. "It's a winning organization that wants to win every single game," he said. That wasn't the case in Sacramento. "I'm really excited to be here," Schroder said. "It was a rough two months for me." He said he's played with several future Hall of Famers in his career and that now includes Harden. "He's one of the best who has ever played the game," Schroder said. "To play alongside him and Donovan Mitchell, it's a special group. It's tough to guard. I'll try to chip in as much as I can. "(We'll) come back on the 16th. Then it's go time. We want to play our best basketball in April and see what we can do." Schroder is working on how he'll help his new team. "We'll be playing meaningful basketball games," he said. "I'll try to make winning plays. I'll try to be a dog out there. We have a lot of guys who can score. I'll try to bring a dog mentality to the games. I'll do whatever it takes: Get a stop on defense or make a hustle play. "I'm a winner. To be on this side now and to play every game to win, it excites me." Like Schroder, Ellis is a strong on-the-ball defender. "Knowing what's about to happen (always helps, along with) knowing guys' strengths and using my ability to read the games," he said. "I try to be in the right place and make the winning play. I just want to win. Everything else doesn't matter. When the team wins, everyone wins." After he and Schroder were traded for De'Andre Hunter, former Cavs guard Matthew Dellavedova, who also played in Sacramento, reached out to Ellis. "He texted me and said you're going to love (playing in Cleveland)," Ellis said. "It's a great sports town." Mitchell, who will be playing on his seventh All-Star team this weekend, has loved playing with Harden thus far. "He sees the game on a different level," he said. "His gravity opens up the floor for everyone else. It's not going to take long for two good players to figure it out. "At this point in his career, he's still very, very good. This could be his last chance to get a ring." Contact Bob Finnan at rfinnan30@gmail.com. Follow him @BobCavsinsider on X.