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The Brooklyn Nets had been defeated by the Golden State Warriors at residence earlier this month. On Saturday, with a file 18,071 turnout at Barclays Heart, Kevin Durant, James Harden and Co. misplaced to a different Western Convention powerhouse within the Phoenix Suns 113-107.
The Nets are actually 14-6 whereas the reigning Western Convention Champions are actually 16-3, only a sport behind Stephen Curry’s Warriors. Phoenix will get to proceed their successful streak which now stands at 16 in a row.
The ultimate rating could also be shut, however the sport was a blowout a two totally different occasions because the Suns constructed multiple 20-point lead. A 15-4 late flurry by Brooklyn minimize the Suns’ result in seven with round two minutes remaining. And so they even shaved the lead down to 6 with 20 seconds remaining, however they couldn’t climb that mountain.
The largest story on this one, nonetheless, was James Harden’s very lengthy night time.
Bucket and the foul for The Beard pic.twitter.com/xOQMEpOfSR
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 28, 2021
Whereas the three-time scoring champion did file his fourth triple double of the season with 12 factors, 13 rebounds and 14 assists, he actually struggled from the ground. The Beard was simply 4-of-16 general, o-of-6 from downtown with a sport excessive seven turnovers. He didn’t look nice. The story of his season has been three steps ahead and two steps again as he returns from a reasonably critical hamstring harm and acclimates to new rule adjustments aimed toward non-basketball performs.
After the sport, Harden was requested if the hamstring was nonetheless bothering him and he supplied a definitive “nah.”
He was reminded of how he gave up his conventional two-guard function to turn out to be the workforce’s de facto level guard final season with Kyrie Irving in the fold. And Harden was requested if he must assume extra of a scoring function than he has with out Irving being round.
His reply didn’t pull any punches.
“Actually I’m attempting to determine all that out proper now,” Harden admitted. “I’m attempting to determine it out. Attempting to determine when to attain, when to be a playmaker when to run offense, when to perform a little little bit of all the pieces. Simply attempting to determine it out it’s been somewhat troublesome particularly since you recognize, effectively no matter, nevertheless it’s been somewhat troublesome however I’m simply attempting to determine it out.”
It’s onerous to not surprise what he stopped himself from saying. The Beard additionally gave some reward to Phoenix wing Mikal Bridges for his tenacious full-court protection.
Kevin Durant was requested about his teammate. Do the Nets need to play with Harden scoring lots or do they like him in that pass-first function?
“I simply suppose we will do each,” defined Durant, who completed with 39 factors, 9 rebounds and 7 dimes. He heard some MVP chants from the gang throughout a late run within the fourth additionally. “I imply we will mess around each variations of James. Scoring and facilitating. And [Harden had] 14 assists 13 rebounds, we gonna want that. [Harden] undoubtedly would wanna shoot the ball higher, however I like his aggressiveness.”
In the meantime, Coach Steve Nash had excessive reward for his former workforce: “Nice have a look at what it takes to play on the highest degree on this league.”
protection ➡️ offense pic.twitter.com/0mO2KbKtQH
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 28, 2021
Deandre’ Bembry played well. He acquired the beginning and was 9 -of -11 from the ground with 18 factors and 9 rebounds in 35 minutes. He was requested about Harden, too. Is the previous 2018 MVP nonetheless attempting to determine when to shoot or go with out Irving round?
“Tonight, I assume if you wish to say that for tonight,” admitted Bembry. “However James is nice man he does all the pieces for us. Clearly it wasn’t his finest taking pictures night time however everyone knows he can rating the ball, everyone knows he can go the ball, he’s one of many smarter gamers on our workforce. It occurs.”
It may be a lot ado about nothing if James Harden merely sunk a couple of extra of his leap photographs or the workforce had much less turnovers. However given the inconsistency in his sport, given the truth that he’s taking part in extra of a degree guard function than he’s used to previously, given Irving’s absence, it does really feel like a scenario to observe. The Nets had 20 turnovers and that actually value them the sport. Harden has to play higher.
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