New faces in new places: Harden fueling red-hot Cavs

Several notable players found new homes at the NBA trade deadline. Three weeks later, let's look at how some of those midseason additions have fared in their new environments.

Stats with Cavaliers:

Cleveland's bold move for Harden is paying instant dividends. The Cavaliers are 6-1 with the 11-time All-Star in the lineup and have vaulted up to fourth in the Eastern Conference. Harden, now the team's primary playmaker, is thriving in the new partnership as well. He creates for others off the drive-and-kick and pushes the tempo following missed shots, not to mention he's already developed pick-and-roll chemistry with Jarrett Allen. Cleveland's offense has also benefited from Harden's shotmaking prowess, floor-spacing, and foul-drawing. The Cavs are scoring 7.4 more points per 100 possessions with him on the court.

Stats with Timberwolves:

Minnesota wasn't getting enough production from its reserves, specifically its backcourt, but Dosunmu is providing the spark it's been searching for since Nickeil Alexander-Walker's departure last summer. He's quickly teamed up with Naz Reid to provide a 1-2 scoring punch off the bench. The fifth-year guard can make threes at an efficient rate, create for teammates, and play solid defense at the point of attack.

Stats with Knicks:

Alvarado's addition was necessary with Deuce McBride potentially out until the playoffs, and the New York native has quickly endeared himself to the Garden faithful with his nonstop hustle. Since being traded, he's recorded the fourth-most steals (14) in the NBA and leads all Knicks players in deflections (27). The 27-year-old made several defensive plays to help New York erase an 18-point fourth-quarter deficit Saturday against the Rockets. While Alvarado isn't as potent offensively as McBride, he's developed into a respectable 3-point threat.

Stats with Celtics:

The Celtics clearly needed more depth behind Neemias Queta, even though backup center Luka Garza is having the most productive season of his career. Vucevic gives Joe Mazzulla an experienced option to split the workload with Queta, who's played more minutes this season than his first four campaigns combined. The 35-year-old continues to rebound at an excellent rate in the twilight of his career, while his floor-spacing and passing ability provide Boston a different look at the five.

Stats with Pistons:

For all of Detroit's strengths, its one major weakness has been its 3-point shooting. The Pistons haven't been able to replace the perimeter shotmaking that Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley brought to the table last season. Huerter, a career 37% 3-point shooter, was thought to be part of the solution. Instead, his inefficiency from deep has worsened since his arrival in the Motor City. He's been a DNP-CD in three of the past four contests.

Stats with Lakers:

It's no secret the Lakers were in desperate need of outside shooting to space the floor for Luka Doncic and LeBron James. They managed to acquire the top sharpshooter on the trade block, as Kennard leads the Association in 3-point percentage (49.1% on the season). The double-teams drawn by Doncic and James have given the Duke product plenty of clean looks from beyond the arc. Plus, Kennard's elite 3-point efficiency helps him attack closeouts and get all the way to the rim.

Stats with Thunder:

It's not as if the Thunder needed any more weapons, but it was smart of Sam Presti to parlay some excess draft picks into an immediate and potential long-term contributor. McCain has regained his confidence and shooting stroke since joining the defending champs. He's aggressively driving to the basket, relocating to open spots, pulling up from distance, and flashing some shot-creation. McCain's backcourt production has been important with fellow reserve Ajay Mitchell still sidelined.

Stats with Clippers:

Mathurin wasted no time making his presence felt. The former No. 6 overall pick tied a career-high 38 points in just his third appearance for the Clippers, surpassing Paul George's single-game franchise record for a player in their home debut. Mathurin's strong play has already earned him closing minutes and the trust of his teammates. The 6-foot-5 forward is aggressively attacking the rim, resulting in nine free-throw attempts per contest. He's been advantageous on the defensive end as well, seeking opportunities to force turnovers. Mathurin has posted three-plus steals on three occasions with his new club, equaling the number he had during his entire Indiana Pacers tenure.

Stats with Bulls:

Chicago is giving Dillingham a chance to solidify a long-term future with the club. The former top-10 pick has shown flashes of the player the Timberwolves envisioned when they traded for him on draft night. The 21-year-old's explosiveness off the bounce is an element the Bulls' offense previously lacked, and that trait has allowed him to create for others when opposing defenses collapse on him in the paint. Dillingham's made sound decisions when running the second unit, boasting a 1.6 assist-to-turnover ratio, but his jumper and finishing ability will need to improve if he hopes to stick around.

Stats with Bucks:

Dieng was buried on the Thunder's depth chart for three-and-a-half seasons. However, the ex-lottery pick has proven to be a worthwhile flyer for the Bucks. He's scored double digits in four of his seven appearances thus far, including a career-high 19 points on Feb. 12 against his former team. The 22-year-old is shooting threes with much more confidence this year after converting only 29.3% of his attempts over his first three campaigns. Milwaukee is scoring seven more points per 100 possessions when he's on the floor. Whether or not Giannis Antetokounmpo stays, it's important for the Bucks to keep adding young, athletic players, such as Dieng.