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Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden will miss Sunday’s sport with the Washington Wizards with a thigh contusion, which means he received’t get to face his former Rockets teammate Russell Westbrook.
However head coach Steve Nash doesn’t assume it’s a critical harm.
“Yeah, I don’t assume it’s too extreme, I believe it’s fairly manageable,” Nash stated on a pre-game Zoom. “However only a precautionary measure…I don’t keep in mind precisely when it occurred. Hopefully, it’s simply this sport.”
The Nets will host Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers on Tuesday.
Harden is averaging 24.5 factors, 11.1 assists and 6.4 rebounds on the season. The Nets have received 4 straight and are 6-2 since acquiring him in a blockbuster trade earlier this month with the Rockets.
Brooklyn (13-8) entered Sunday’s sport because the No. 2 seed within the East behind Philadelphia and look like firing on all cylinders with their “Huge 3” of Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.
Harden has been the first play-maker for the workforce, typically deferring and making an attempt to get his teammates concerned. He leads the NBA in assists. Luka Doncic is subsequent at 9.4 per sport.
With out him, the Nets can be missing their major play-maker. Irving figures to change into extra essential in that function with out Harden.
“It’s an enormous gap to fill with all of the issues he does on the ground,” Nash stated. “He’s a triple-double menace each evening. Some nights he can rating the ball, some nights he can run the present and a few nights he does each, so having stated that we now have to compete and play collectively and hold constructing and we’ve acquired to win whereas we try this. Nevertheless it’s actually essential that we hold doubling down on the way in which that we play, and attempt to discover that id that we proceed to refine all through the season.”
NASH LIKES SHUMPERT’S ENERGY
The Nets officially signed veteran guard Iman Shumpert and he joins shot-blocking massive man Norvel Pelle as the most recent additions to the workforce.
Nash hopes Shumpert, 30, may also help the workforce defensively on the perimeter.
“I believe it’s nice to have his character,” Nash stated. “He offers our group some juice, power and life. I believe he has a status of enjoying extraordinarily onerous, defending, doing the soiled work, in order that’s all the time optimistic to deliver someone in who’s acquired quite a lot of struggle and aggressive spirit.”
Shumpert has performed with a number of Nets gamers already, together with Irving, Joe Harris and Jeff Inexperienced, and has additionally been coached by Nets assistant Mike D’Antoni whereas in Houston.
“I believe that his character can be essential for us, simply someone that’s been there, performed that and has familiarity with quite a lot of our gamers and the membership, in order that I believe is a pleasant segue or entry into his arrival,” Nash stated. “I believe it offers him a leg up and it offers everybody a degree of consolation with him, so I’m excited for him to hitch us and permit us to have one other veteran on the roster that may affect our group.”
Nonetheless, Nash stated it’s “to be decided” how Shumpert and Pelle slot in conditioning-wise and rotation-wise.
“We needed to fill the roster spots, so we’re not saying these guys are going to return in in unbelievable situation and rhythm and alter our outcomes. We recognized two guys that we predict add worth to our group and may also help us even when they don’t play, so we now have to hopefully put themselves ready the place they’ll hopefully get themselves in sport form and rhythm and see in the event that they’re in a position to assist the workforce on the ground, however I believe they’re too guys who may also help the workforce off the ground additionally.”
As for Two-Manner gamers Chris Chiozza and Reggie Perry, Nash stated “I believe these guys are in all probability going to stay round, however I believe it’s additionally to be decided.”
The NBA G League bubble begins Feb. 10 at Walt Disney World in Orlando and the Lengthy Island Nets are amongst 18 groups concerned.
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