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That is hardly the model of James Harden the Brooklyn Nets have been anticipating, however the veteran star guard is aware of that there might be higher days forward.
In Brooklyn’s 106-93 loss to the Miami Warmth on Wednesday, Harden struggled to search out his often mercurial offensive sport as soon as once more — recording simply 14 factors on 4-of-12 taking pictures with seven rebounds, and 7 assists.
It’s the third straight sport that he’s been held to fifteen factors or fewer, which hasn’t occurred since his days with the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder a decade in the past.
Via 5 video games this season, the nine-time All-Star is averaging 16.6 factors per sport, which is almost 9 factors fewer than his profession common.
“Simply getting extra assured, being aggressive and it’s getting higher each single sport,” Harden stated. “As a lot as I wish to get again to only, you realize, 30 and 40 factors, I can’t do this. As a lot as I wish to, clearly, I’d like to.”
Harden continues to ease his manner again into the total workload of an NBA season after being restricted final 12 months attributable to a hamstring harm — one which he spent a lot of the offseason rehabbing. It didn’t supply many alternatives to get on the ground and work on sustaining his high-profile play.
“I had no alternatives to play pickup or nothing this summer time,” Harden stated. “All the things was rehab for 3 months from a Grade 2 harm that occurred thrice in a single season. So that is my fifth sport of making an attempt to only play with competitors in opposition to someone else.
“As a lot as I wish to rush the method and be again to hooping and killing, take your time.”
It’s a brand-new hurdle for Harden, who missed 13 or extra video games in a season simply two instances over his first 11 NBA campaigns. Final 12 months, nonetheless, he was restricted to only 44 of 72 video games with the Houston Rockets and Nets due to that hamstring problem.
“My profession, I’ve been blessed. Simply not having surgical procedures or whatnot. So simply this entire course of final 12 months was similar to irritating and draining,” Harden stated. “It was draining for me to know that I couldn’t be myself and be on the market on the ground and be the participant that I’m. However I’m lastly slowly getting again to it.
“It simply takes a number of exhausting work and dedication. But it surely’s going to occur. However you bought to only proceed to maintain preventing, and I’ll.”
Already with out Kyrie Irving, Harden’s gradual begin has left the offensive scoring duties primarily on the shoulders of Kevin Durant, who has answered the bell by averaging 29.8 factors per sport this season.
However the Nets are simply 2-3 after 5 video games with an offense that ranks twenty sixth within the NBA — that means a totally match Harden might be a welcomed addition in Brooklyn.
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