The James Harden Experiment Is Working

By Martin Rogers
FOX Sports activities columnist

James Harden, is that this actually you?

This high-performance particular person who has made an explosive begin with the Brooklyn Nets — is it the previous you, the brand new you or the brand new iteration of the previous you?

And what about that earlier model of you, the disruptive, dejected, unmotivated man who left the Houston Rockets in tatters? Is he gone, or is he in short-term hiding, ready to resurface when issues get troublesome?

Harden, and the best way he dealt with his departure from Houston and the ensuing shift east, spawned so many questions and no small measure of resentment from these he left behind.

But the start to his new starting has been a supply of marvel, with a 32-point triple-double in his first outing towards the Orlando Magic adopted on Monday by a 34-point, 12-assist night time as Brooklyn outlasted Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, the Japanese Convention’s regular-season dominators, by a rating of 125-123.

That’s the sort of productiveness the Nets have been banking on once they despatched their complete draft future to Texas in alternate for the league’s main scorer from the previous three seasons.

Sure, that actually was Harden hustling and placing his physique on the road for an offensive rebound. It was additionally him scurrying to gather a unfastened ball by the baseline and one way or the other protecting it inbounds by throwing it between Brook Lopez’s legs. And it was him shifting along with his typical grace and taking part in 41 minutes regardless of, let’s be sincere, placing on a number of kilos because the finish of final season.

“It was a simple transition, particularly with James dealing with the ball quite a bit coming in,” Kevin Durant informed reporters after the Nets gained their fourth straight to maneuver to 9-6. “We’re nonetheless looking for our manner, and we have got room to enhance, nevertheless it’s a strong begin.”

Durant gave the impression of somebody who anticipated this to occur, for the pair to click on so neatly and so shortly. Many didn’t anticipate that. By his struggles in Houston, it regarded like Harden had misplaced his manner and reached some extent the place nothing may maintain him joyful. Solely time will inform how issues will unfold with the Nets, however the begin couldn’t have been higher.

The following step within the course of is the approaching return of Kyrie Irving from an absence initially listed as being for private causes that has now stretched to seven video games. Having Brooklyn’s Large Three play collectively will present a litmus take a look at in itself, however Harden, at the very least, seems snug not being the only point of interest of the offense, as he was with the Rockets.

“We have been younger,” Harden mentioned, reminiscing of his time with Durant (and Russell Westbrook) in Oklahoma Metropolis. “We’re grown males now. We all know what we would like. We actually know the sport of basketball. We’re not these younger guys that wish to run round and simply shoot and dunk all day. I sit again, and I do know what a participant Kevin Durant is. He is among the best to ever contact a basketball.” 

It might be that that is one of the best sort of spot for Harden, the place he’s alongside at the very least one particular person who he thinks is perhaps nearly as good as or higher than him. The Rockets have been by no means shy about anointing Harden a star in each manner, catering to his each whim and shifting on from whoever didn’t match within the second, from Dwight Howard to Chris Paul to, finally, Westbrook.

With a average schedule forward, the Nets have each probability to construct some momentum. Their opponents, in the meantime, should determine how one can management an offensive duo – now trio – which have so many highly effective choices at their disposal.

“A mix like Durant and Harden breaks regular guidelines and defenses alike,” wrote Jonathan Tjarks of The Ringer. “How do you cease two gamers who can rating as comfortably from 30 ft as they will on the rim?”

Doubts about Brooklyn’s means to compete for the last word prize on the finish of the season hinge on their defensive limitations. On Monday, DeAndre Jordan was given the accountability of marking Antetokounmpo – no prizes for guessing how that performed out. 

On First Issues First, FS1’s Nick Wright pointed out how poor Brooklyn’s defense looked in the closing moments against the Bucks, despite the win.

“When you’ve gotten a star-studded crowd, when it’s on nationwide tv, when it’s on MLK Day, while you’re taking part in the earlier favorites within the East, if there was ever an evening while you would possibly wish to present the world [you] have the flexibility to lock down defensively, you’d have thought final night time could be that night time,” Wright mentioned. “You can not win this manner.”

Issues have simply gotten began, however the Nets are profitable proper now, they usually have a number of months earlier than they actually need to work it out. When the Harden commerce occurred, there have been some main questions that appeared to be a great distance from being answered. Not a lot now.

The Nets aren’t a completed product, however in these early moments, they seem like they’re near being as marketed, an imposing offensive pressure that may rating on anybody and can journey its expertise so far as it may well go.

The experiment, for now, is working.

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