James Harden walked into Golden 1 Center with one practice under his belt. No training camp. No preseason. Just a Wednesday trade from the LA Clippers and a Saturday game that mattered.

By the time the final buzzer sounded on February 8, 2026, Harden had delivered on his promise. The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Sacramento Kings 132-126. Harden scored 23 points in his debut.

The Numbers

Harden shot 7-for-13 from the field. He hit 5-of-8 from three-point range. He added 8 assists and 3 rebounds in 34 minutes of action.

The shooting was vintage Harden. The timing was not.

'This is my first time playing 5-on-5 since about a week ago, so it's a little rusty,' Harden admitted. 'I'm just happy we got the win.'

The Adjustment Period

Donovan Mitchell saw the growing pains firsthand. Cleveland's All-Star guard scored 29 of his 35 points in the second half after the Kings grabbed a 96-93 third-quarter lead.

'When you have a guy who's established like that, it takes that little bit of -- not awkwardness because I've known him,' Mitchell explained. 'It's one of those things when you're trying to figure it out. It took a half to be like, OK.'

Mitchell finished with 35 points on 12-of-22 shooting, including 6-of-11 from three. Jarrett Allen added 29 points and 10 rebounds for his 12th double-double.

The Message

Harden's message to his new teammates was simple. 'I told the guys just do what you all do,' he said. 'And I'll figure it out. I'm good enough to figure it out and insert myself in.'

He figured it out faster than expected. The Cavaliers improved to 35-16. They have won eight of their last nine games.

Sacramento, meanwhile, fell to its 12th straight loss. Russell Westbrook added 21 points and 9 assists against his former team. Nique Clifford led the Kings with 30 points.

The Harden era in Cleveland is officially underway. The first chapter ended with a win.