Harden's joining impact! Mitchell declares it's time for the Cavaliers to chase the championship, and Allen believes they can go further than last year.

On February 11th Beijing time, according to Cavaliers reporter Fedor, Donovan Mitchell expressed that with James Harden joining the team, the Cleveland Cavaliers have officially opened their championship window and are facing the increased expectations with confidence.

The Cavaliers, down for almost 43 minutes, rallied in the final quarter to beat the Nuggets and claim their fourth straight victory. Mitchell admitted that bringing in Harden, a 36-year-old future Hall of Famer, has filled the team with a sense of urgency.

“You can see the strength of this team. We have a championship window, and that window is now,” Mitchell said in an interview. “In a way, the team is all in. It’s time to make a push. When you make this trade, you understand Harden’s age and career stage — this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance.”

Mitchell is excited about the pressure the Cavaliers felt after their moves on trade deadline day. The team sent Garland to the LA Clippers in exchange for Harden, while also acquiring Dennis Schröder and Kevin Ellis. Reports indicate Mitchell had previously urged the Cavaliers to act before the deadline, even if it meant breaking up the original core to bring in Harden.

“I like this kind of pressure, this expectation, and all the questions that come with it,” Mitchell said. “Why make this trade? To win a championship. That’s the goal. The management has basically said: it’s now or never. I really like that.”

This victory capped off the Cavaliers’ exhausting 12-day, 5-city road trip, as they climbed to fourth place in the East with a near 9-1 record over their last 10 games. In the final 26 points of the game, 25 came from Mitchell and Harden, with Harden hitting a tying three-pointer with 32.1 seconds left. “We’re playing on momentum right now,” Mitchell said after the comeback.

Harden contributed 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists in the final 10 minutes. Over the last two games, the Cavaliers’ offensive efficiency in the fourth quarter has reached 142.0. After the game, Harden reposted Mitchell’s victory celebration on social media, adding a spider emoji, which is a nod to Mitchell’s nickname, “Spiderman.”

“The atmosphere is definitely different,” center Jarrett Allen said. “Everyone feels a new energy and has gained more belief — that we can go further than we did last year.”