Pressure On James Harden To Produce Without Irving
Nets star guard James Harden is having to play himself into shape as Brooklyn stutters to start the new season.
The Nets are off to a 2 – 3 start after losing to the Miami Heat 106-93 on Wednesday. Much has been made of Kyrie Irving’s omission from the squad. It presents a challenge for coach Steve Nash as well as for the players.
In Irving’s absence, the Nets need Kevin Durant and James Harden to play to their maximum potential. However, a hamstring injury sustained in the second half of last season is proving difficult to shake off for James Harden.
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Harden has scored 15 or less points in three consecutive games for the first time since 2012. The 2018 MVP says he needs to take his time getting fit and gelling with a different attack.
“Just getting more confident, being aggressive,” Harden said.Â
“And it’s getting better every single game. As much as I want to get back to just, you know, [scoring] 30’s and 40 points, I can’t do that [right now]. As much as I want to, obviously I would love to.
“I had no opportunities to play pickup or nothing this summer,” Harden said. “Everything was rehab for three months, from a Grade 2 injury that happened three times in one season. So this is my fifth game of trying to just play with competition against somebody else. And as much as I want to rush the process and be back to hooping and killing, [have to] take your time.”
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“My career, I’ve been blessed,” Harden said. “Just not having surgeries or whatnot. So just this whole process last year was just like frustrating and draining. … It was draining for me to know that I couldn’t be myself and be out there on the floor and be the player that I am [at the end of last season].
“But I’m finally slowly getting back to it. It just takes a lot of hard work and dedication. But it’s gonna happen. But you got to just continue to keep fighting, and I will.”
