James Harden will be out for Game Three of the Nets series against the Bucks, tweets Adam Zagoria of NY Times Sports. Head coach Steve Nash, addressing the media, made it clear that both Harden and forward Jeff Green will miss at least another game, though he added that it’s “highly possible” that Green plays sooner rather than later.
Harden has played just 43 seconds of the Nets’ second round playoff series against Milwaukee after leaving Game One with right hamstring tightness. The Nets have won the first two games of the series in convincing fashion without him, which could give them more leeway to take the recovery process slowly with their star shooting guard. Nash stated that both Harden and Green continue to make progress, according to a tweet from Malika Andrews of ESPN.
With Harden out, the Nets have turned to guards Bruce Brown and Mike James, with Brown taking much of the available guard minutes. Brown responded well to getting the starting nod in Game Two, putting up 13 points, six rebounds and four assists with no turnovers while also proving quite effective as a small-ball roll man/rim runner. James has scored in double digits in both contests.
The Bucks had clearly hoped to take advantage of Harden’s absence, but that didn’t prove the case in Game Two, as the Nets cruised to a 39-point victory. Kevin Durant scored 32 points on 12-18 shooting while none of the Bucks’ three stars could find much of a rhythm offensively.
With the next two games being held in Milwaukee and no clear timetable for Harden’s return, Game Three will be crucial if the Bucks have any hope of climbing back into this series.
Could the Nets have gotten Beal or Booker for the package they traded for Harden? Who wants a player who doesn’t play. Availability is a players best ability.
It’s not like Harden has missed a million games in his career. As for Booker, if I was Suns GM I would declare him absolutely untouchable.
Right, he was extremely durable before this season. If you look at the top 20 or so players over the past 10 years he will be near the top in games played.
Beal and Booker didn’t tell their teams to trade them, stop living in fantasy world – the Nets couldn’t have gotten anyone other than the Orlando guys or Harden.
Booker??? LOL. No. those teams didn’t have their superstar demanding a trade. That was an awful package the Rockets took just to be done with the Harden saga.
How was that an awful package for the Rockets when it was comparable to what the Celtics got for KG and PP from the Nets? Granted the trajectory of the Nets looks better now than it did in 2013, so it’s not as likely a Jayson Tatum would come out of it, but you never know.
He should change his name to Marshmallow.
Is there a rapper somewhere having a birthday party?
Imagine coaching for your job and you put Giannis on a minutes restriction in the playoffs.
Some of these coaches never deserved their jobs to begin with.
It’s not like they had any issue blowing the Bucks’ barn doors off in Game 2. Might as well just rest him the whole series. They don’t seem to need him yet.
If the Nets win one of the next two games, we won’t see his beard until the ECF
I actually think he will start that series on the bn as well and they might try and hold him out till the finals-
Inj prolly takes a month, each series 2 weeks so he’d be ideal to come back Game 1 of finals
The way everyone else isplaying that might actually be feasible…Ofc they’ll always have the break glass option if they get tested be4
If the Nets win tomorrow the series is basically over (obviously).
My thinking exactly. Win one in Milwaukee and Bucks will be so discouraged they will pack it in. Harden’s hammy gets extended rest and he may be ready to go for the next round. Nets are deep enough offensively to beat these guys without James.
At this point I think Durant and 4 grade schoolers could roll the bucks.
Bucks are going to need a Thibs-style coach but one that can give them the edge they need in playoff bball. They are soft. Bud has had his three strikes in MIL but if he turns it around and they win the title then I will be signing his praises! Probably not though. Mike McCarthy (GB Packers) managed to win only one super bowl with a team that should have won 3 and I thought he should have been gone long before they dumped him. Bud should have a championship by now with the talent they have on that team
Looks like they don’t need him. Rest him until the next round. Giannis needs help.
A re-injured hammy. I doubt it heals in any definitive way. More a matter of rest it as long as possible, and then decide when the risk/reward suggests giving it a go. So, until the Nets have issues on the court, I think he sits. In this series, Bucks would have to pull even.
Giannis has to drop 40, Middlechild has to be Middleton and drop 30 and Holiday needs 25. Lopez will need 15 and the others have to produce too.
He should’ve been fired after Bubble. How can you get blown out in playoffs. With no Harden yet. If I was owner I would’ve fired him after game. Beyond embarrassing.
Wish Dins was healthy. Thing is he might be and the Nets are going for a cheap well-rested re-sign.
Well so far why not; 2-0.