Cavaliers get the James Harden in Game 3 they sought in trade. Opinion

CLEVELAND — Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman and coach Kenny Atkinson should give Game 3 James Harden the Han Solo treatment by freezing him in carbonite. Harden isn’t too old to deliver in the clutch after all, as evidenced by his heroics in the Cavs’ 116-109 win over the Detroit Pistons in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Saturday, May 9, at Rocket Arena. If only the Cavs could preserve the Game 3 version of Harden with “Star Wars” technology, they would stand a much better chance of meeting the NBA Finals-or-bust expectations heaped upon them.

The Game 3 iteration of Harden is what the Cavs envisioned in February when they traded Darius Garland for Harden, an 11-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer, albeit one 10 years older than fellow point guard Garland. The Harden the Cavs got in Game 3 is what they need to overcome a 2-1 deficit in their best-of-seven second-round playoff series against the Pistons. Game 4 is set for 8 p.

m. Monday, May 11, in Cleveland. Don’t worry.

There’s plenty of time for Harden to thaw by then. Cavs playoffs: Cavaliers vs. Pistons Game 3 instant reactions The 36-year-old Harden inspired this brilliant theme along with the Guardians , who hosted “Star Wars” night on May 9 next to the site of Game 3.