James Harden admits he has "no choice" but to keep pushing through with a fractured thumb

Mar 3, 2026 - 06:00

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$James Harden admits he has "no choice" but to keep pushing through with a fractured thumb$

James Harden admits he has "no choice" but to keep pushing through with a fractured thumb originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been superb in recent weeks, which dates back to before James Harden arrived. Since he arrived, the Cavaliers have been superb, as they are a game and a half behind the New York Knicks. After a slow start to the season, the Cavs are finally playing to the lofty expectations.

Unfortunately, the Cavs are not experiencing all sunshine and rainbows because they still have the injury bug around the roster. This includes Harden, who is playing through a fractured thumb. He has refused to get surgery, which has surprised a lot of people.

Harden is ready to keep playing with a fractured thumb

Nowadays, injuries are handled with the utmost caution. You can see a lot of teams elect to have their players undergo surgery for the best recovery possible. That is not the case with this one because Harden is okay with playing with a fractured thumb.

It is not as bad as it sounds because, according to athletic trainer and injury analyst Jeff Stotts on X, Harden can recover from this injury properly. Moving forward, it will be a nagging injury, but it won't affect him too much.

MORE: Why James Harden's fractured thumb isn't as bad as it sounds for Cavaliers

It will be a bit of a challenge, but Harden is used to playing in the NBA already. He has a wealth of experience as a star player, but he is hungry for success. Since he is playing for the Cavaliers, he has a chance to finally win the championship, and he is not taking any days off in his pursuit.

"Nah. That's too much time out. I try to do everything it takes to be back on the court as fast as possible... There’s going to be some discomfort, so just figuring out ways to fight through," Harden said about why he refused to have surgery.

Tonight, I had too many turnovers, just not being able to handle the ball properly. Eventually, after this game, a couple of days relaxing, letting it heal up. I got no other choice."

As long as Harden is feeling okay with his thumb, he will continue playing for the Cavaliers. It appears that he got approval from the medical staff, so they will keep working to help Harden recover. With this kind of approach, the Cavs can maximize him and continue being a top team.