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OKLAHOMA CITY — Up to now this season, Kevin Durant has seemed like an MVP and Kyrie Irving has been a DNP. But it surely’s James Harden’s return to type that has powered the Nets’ speedy enchancment.
Harden has been shaking off the rust of a summer time spent in damage rehab reasonably than taking part in pickup. He could not fairly be his previous scoring-champion self, however as his Nets ready to face the Thunder on Sunday, he has been rising nearer by the day.
“I’m getting there. It wasn’t going to take lengthy,” Harden mentioned. “I imply, that is the very best [level] within the sport is the NBA, essentially the most gifted gamers on this world. So it’s not going to be straightforward for me to simply come on the market and do what I do. It takes quite a lot of arduous work to be taking part in at a degree to which you guys have seen me play at.
“After I’m not scoring 30 factors, once I’m averaging 18-some factors, it’s like ‘What’s flawed with James?’ It’s fairly stable nonetheless. I’ve been taking part in so effectively and so extraordinarily at one other degree to the place you guys set requirements for me; and I set requirements for myself as effectively. For me, I simply proceed to work. I really feel lots higher, and the work don’t cease.”
Within the season’s early levels, 18-some factors would’ve been an enchancment.
Harden averaged 16.6 factors, eight assists and 7 boards via the Nets’ first 5 video games, taking pictures .359 total and .333 from 3-point vary for a team-worst minus-8.4. It’s no marvel the Nets struggled out of the gate, going simply 2-3.
However since then? Harden comes into Sunday averaging 21.8 factors, 9.6 dimes and eight.3 boards in his final eight video games. His taking pictures has spiked to .481 and .467 for a plus-7.9. All three of Harden’s triple-doubles got here throughout this stretch, and it’s no coincidence the Nets surged to 7-1 throughout his resurgence.
“I can rating. I do know that. You’ve bought to place it collectively. [Friday] total was fairly stable, and I’ve simply bought to proceed to construct,” mentioned Harden, who thinks he had a greater burst prior to now two video games. “I’ve simply bought to proceed to compound that feeling and simply hold going.”
Harden had season-highs in scoring (39), assists (12) and 3-pointers (six) on Friday to carry the Nets to a victory in New Orleans.
“He was aggressive all evening. He was getting downhill, attending to the free-throw line, 11-for-18, extremely, extremely environment friendly, 12 assists. He simply seemed unbelievable,” Durant mentioned. “James did an awesome job controlling the sport.”
Durant and Harden mixed for 67 factors towards the Pelicans, their second-highest whole as Nets teammates. They’re concurrently in red-hot type coming into Sunday’s recreation, the primary time they’ve performed collectively at Oklahoma Metropolis since they have been Thunder teammates in 2011-12.
Requested what defenses are purported to do when each he and Durant are in that sort of type, Harden quipped “Umm, pray?”
“I’m simply taking part in. I imply, it’s tough,” Harden mentioned. “We’re two unselfish basketball gamers. We’re versatile. Clearly Kevin’s identified for his scoring, environment friendly scoring; however he’s additionally a keen passer, particularly when there’s double groups and issues like that. It’s tough to protect him, and it’s tough to protect me, particularly after we’ve bought it going.”
Harden is getting it going after dealing not solely with the NBA’s rule adjustments to cease gamers from drawing fouls with unnatural motions (the so-called Harden Rule), but in addition with the time misplaced whereas rehabbing from the Grade 2 hamstring pressure he suffered late final season.
“We’ve bought to be affected person with him. It’s nonetheless I believe bought some yards to go earlier than he feels this manner each evening or feels at his finest,” coach Steve Nash mentioned. “There’s the health, there’s the rhythm, after which there’s the arrogance: For all these three issues to come back again, it does take time.
“He was nice [Friday]. He’s been actually good the final week or so, and trending in the correct course. However I don’t need to get too carried away; let’s give him time to get his recreation again.”
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