Brooklyn Nets Suffer Major Blow With Harden Setback

History is stacked against a Brooklyn Nets NBA Championship run this season following James Harden’s latest hamstring setback.

James Harden last played for the Brooklyn Nets against the New York Knicks on April 5. Having struggled with hamstring tightness prior, he lasted only four minutes before going down with a strain.

Harden suffered his setback during an on court rehab session on Monday. According to head coach Steve Nash, the incident was innocuous. However, he is ‘back to square one’ and will have to be assessed. 

It’s a familiar story for the Brooklyn Nets. The team has struggled to field it’s title-caliber Big 3 together consistently all year. 

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This season, Harden is averaging 25.2 points, 8.0 rebounds and 10.9 assists per game. Kevin Durant suffered a minor setback when he sustained a left thigh contusion on his comeback. According to the Nets, he is day to day.

Durant is averaging 27.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. Irving, Harden and Durant have now all missed at least ten games this season.

According to ESPN, no NBA Champion has ever been without all three of its top scorers for ten or more regular season games. 

Harden, the cornerstone of the Nets’ gatecrashing of the NBA championship, may not be back until the playoffs. 

“Back to square one,” Nets coach Steve Nash said Tuesday. 

“We’ll rehabilitate him and get him back whenever we can, and who knows when that will be. We’ll support James and our performance team in getting him back in as best condition as possible. And hopefully that comes sooner than later, but there’s no guarantee.”

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“We just all want reps together. But if we’re not able to get that then we’ll have to figure it out,” Irving said Tuesday night. 

“And that’s just the sentiment throughout the season. Just figuring out this process and meshing us together and game by game … just being there for one another. Just stay in communication.”