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James Harden is making one thing particular look routine, which is fairly extraordinary.
With 21 factors, 15 assists, and 15 rebounds in Monday’s 117-112 win over the New York Knicks, Harden registered his tenth triple-double in simply 26 video games as a Web. It was the primary time in franchise historical past {that a} participant had at the very least 15 factors, assists, and rebounds in a single recreation.
Harden is now two triple-doubles shy of Jason Kidd’s Nets single-season report of 12 triple-doubles. He’s already second in franchise historical past in profession triple-doubles as a Web behind Kidd, who had 61 with the Nets.
With 56 profession triple-doubles, Harden is eighth all-time, and the seven gamers above him are nearly all inner-circle Corridor of Fame varieties, Kidd amongst them, together with Magic Johnson, Larry Hen, Wilt Chamberlain, and all-time chief Oscar Robertson.
Whereas Harden’s playmaking has been eye-opening, that is nonetheless a participant who led the NBA in assists beforehand, as he’s on the right track to do once more this season. However he’s now averaging 9.1 rebounds as a Web, nicely above his profession common of 5.4 per recreation, and a full rebound per recreation greater than his earlier profession excessive of 8.1 in 2016-17, which was the one earlier time he averaged much more than 7.0 per recreation.
“No matter it takes,” mentioned Harden. “Like rebounding, I attempt to go assist it, particularly after we’re small. I do know I’ve to go rebound the basketball a bit bit extra. I do know I’ve to place my physique on bigs a bit bit extra as a result of I’m not athletic sufficient or large enough to have the ability to bounce with them. I’ve bought to make use of my physique simply being artful round that rim so far as rebounding. After which playmaking, it’s simply getting my teammates pictures and getting our bigs simple alternatives on the rim. Offensively, I’m not being as environment friendly as I need to be, however that’s to come back and that’s the least of my worries, the least of my issues. I’m simply excited and comfortable to proceed this journey with these guys. We’re enjoying some fairly good basketball proper now.”
CARIS LEVERT, BACK FOR INDIANA
With the Nets in Indiana to play the Pacers on Wednesday night time, they’ll be lining up in opposition to Caris LeVert for the primary time since LeVert was included within the commerce that introduced James Harden to Brooklyn. The Nets have performed the Pacers as soon as since then, in Brooklyn on Feb. 10, however LeVert was unable to play.
As a part of the bodily to finish the commerce, a small cancerous mass was found on his left kidney, and LeVert was recognized with renal cell carcinoma. He underwent surgical procedure and was sidelined for 2 months. LeVert made his Indiana debut on Saturday night time, scoring 13 factors with seven rebounds in a win over Phoenix. He adopted up with 17 factors and three steals on Monday in opposition to Denver.
“Simply honored and humbled clearly, to name him a buddy, name him a brother,” mentioned Kyrie Irving. “Want nothing however most well being a hit. Love him. My household loves him. So you recognize, going again and seeing him is at all times an honor, like I mentioned. And it is even higher to go and compete in opposition to him, as a result of I do know he will give us his greatest. And that is what we wish. However clearly, what he is been by means of, simply nothing however prayers from me and my household, clearly, from the Nets and everybody around the globe. Simply we need to see him get by means of what he was coping with. And I am comfortable to see him again on the market. I went house straight after the sport the opposite night time, simply to activate to look at his debut. As a result of it is simply so shut. It is simply household. So simply need to see him do nicely. However we’re trying ahead to going to Indiana and enjoying a superb group, too.”
LeVert was actually initially drafted by the Pacers in 2016 as a part of an settlement to ship ahead Thaddeus Younger from Brooklyn to Indiana, with the commerce changing into official after the draft. In four-plus seasons with the Nets, LeVert averaged 13.1 factors, 3.7 rebounds, and three.7 assists. He elevated his recreation every year, averaging 18.7 factors in his ultimate full season with the Nets in 2019-20, taking a lead position for the group through the NBA restart in Orlando after scoring a career-high 51 factors in one in all Brooklyn’s ultimate video games earlier than the season was suspended final March.
He started this season averaging 18.0 factors, 5.4 assists, and 4.4 rebounds in 12 video games for the Nets.
“He’s extremely well-loved on this group,” mentioned Nets head coach Steve Nash. “He’s a world-class human being and terrific basketball participant. There’s little question we’re rooting for him. So to see him return to play and to see him get his profession going once more is superior. We miss him, however we’re all rooting for him and need to see him thrive.”
JEFF GREEN GOES FOR 20
Jeff Inexperienced had a quick begin in opposition to the Knicks on Monday and completed with 20 factors on 8-of-11 taking pictures, making each of his 3-point makes an attempt, and including six rebounds, two assists, and two blocks.
“He was getting it on the quick roll, he made a few good floaters, made some 3s tonight, I believe, two 3s, he was simply good in his rolls,” mentioned Steve Nash. “James (Harden) discovered him. James made some lovely passes to him for layups, dunks, after which the quick rolls, a couple of threes, you add all of it up and he had a extremely environment friendly taking pictures night time and likewise was our main defender on (Julius) Randle.”
This was Inexperienced’s third recreation again after lacking 4 of 5 video games earlier than the All-Star break because of a shoulder harm, and he took a bit hit in Monday’s recreation as nicely.
“I’m good man,” mentioned Inexperienced. “It’s one thing that I consider could linger, I don’t know. I simply wanted a bit minute to collect myself and to only acquire myself to get again on the ground. It’s one thing I’m simply going to should proceed to cope with and make the perfect out of it. That’s the place it’s at now. I’m not gonna give the excuse or complain about it. It’s what it’s.”
ABOUT THE PACERS
The Pacers are 17-21 after shedding seven of their final 9 video games. Indiana is third within the NBA in steals (8.6) and sixth in factors off turnovers (18.9), plus fifth in factors within the paint (52.9) and sixth in quick break factors (14.9). Regardless of beginning two 6-foot-11 gamers in Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner, the Pacers are twenty ninth in rebounds per recreation (41.7), and twenty sixth in rebound proportion (48.3). Indiana is high 10 within the league in limiting opponent 3-point subject purpose makes an attempt and makes however ranks twenty sixth in 3-point proportion allowed (38.3). Sabonis, coming off his second straight All-Star Recreation, averages 20.5 factors on 52.6 % taking pictures and leads the Pacers with 11.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists per recreation. Malcolm Brogdon leads Indiana with 21.6 factors per recreation and averages 6.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds. Turner leads the NBA with 3.4 blocks per recreation and averages 13.2 factors and 6.6 rebounds per recreation.
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