Cavs Roll Out a 2K Fever Dream Lineup with Harden and Mitchell

If you told a basketball fan five years ago that James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, and Jarrett Allen would be starting on the same team, they would assume you turned off the salary cap in a video game. Now, it is just a regular Monday in Cleveland.

Underdog NBA confirmed the Cleveland Cavaliers are rolling out a starting five of Harden, Mitchell, Peyton Watson, Evan Mobley, and Allen for their upcoming matchup. It is a lineup that features two guys who desperately need the ball and three guys who are just hoping to get a touch before the shot clock expires.

"Lineup alert: Cavs will start Harden, Mitchell, Watson, Mobley, Allen on Monday."

Cleveland is trying to find some stability after a rough stretch. They are coming off a 109-97 loss to the New York Knicks and have dropped three of their last four games, including a pair of defensive collapses against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Harden is fresh off signing a three-year, $97 million deal this offseason, while Mitchell is currently putting up 24 points and over five assists a night. Putting both of them in the same backcourt means Watson is essentially out there to play defense and get his cardio in.

For anyone staring at the betting board, trying to untangle the usage rates in this backcourt is a nightmare. You have an offensive backcourt that demands the rock, paired with a frontcourt in Mobley and Allen that has to clean up every defensive mistake made on the perimeter.

We will find out quickly if this expensive configuration can actually stop anyone. The Cavaliers have to turn right around and travel to face the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday, and if the perimeter defense does not tighten up, this roster is going to keep bleeding points.