Nets’ James Harden is healthy and locked in at last

Christmas at dwelling is likely to be the turning level in James Harden’s 2021-22 season. The Brooklyn Nets performed at Crypto.com area towards the Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas Day, towards the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 27, and in between these two video games, Harden’s highschool in Lakewood, Calif., retired his jersey. A whiff of that Southern California smog and a few hometown love was simply the vitality enhance Harden wanted for a monster Christmas time efficiency. In two consecutive Nets victories, Harden totaled double-digit assists and scored greater than 35 factors in every recreation.

Harden had missed 4 video games previous to Christmas on the Nets’ well being and security protocol listing, and that listing grew so giant for the Nets that they missed every week of motion, as three of their video games had been postponed. Harden used that point off to handle any lingering issues about his conditioning, which he mentioned was bettering earlier than he ended up in protocol.

“That break, that protocol, or COVID, or relaxation or no matter you need to name it may have went two methods,” Harden mentioned to the media after the Nets 124-108 victory towards the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday. “I simply overly locked in on my physique, my consuming, after which was capable of begin figuring out, my exercises.”

Decide for your self. Here’s a image of Harden figuring out after the Clippers win. Does he look to you want he’s in good condition?

Whereas the Nets have held the very best report within the Jap Convention for many of this season, they haven’t been thought-about an awesome favourite to win the NBA championship. A number of the blame for that has been positioned on Harden for showing off form at instances, as his statistics are the bottom they’ve been in years. Harden is at the moment capturing 34.3 p.c from the three-point line, a paltry 41.5 p.c from the sector, and at 22 factors per recreation, his scoring common is at its lowest since he got here off of the bench for the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.

However once more, the Nets at the moment have the very best report within the Jap Convention. They’ve received 15 of their final 20 video games and had been profitable on their Los Angeles journey with out MVP candidate Kevin Durant who was in well being and security protocol. Durant will return to the lineup on Thursday when the Nets play the Philadelphia 76ers. LaMarcus Aldridge and Kyrie Irving — who will only be enjoying in street video games for the foreseeable future — are additionally out of protocol.

Because the Nets roster will get stronger, their final success this season won’t be depending on Harden having the sort of utilization fee and scoring common that he had with the Houston Rockets, however him being in the kind of situation essential to run the offense and play effectively sufficient on the defensive finish to assist account for the Nets not having a standard rim protector. He’s appropriate that he was starting to look increasingly like that participant previous to the Nets large COVID outbreak, however his SoCal Christmas journey was in addition to he’s performed since being traded to the Nets early final season.

We’ve seen what the Nets seem like when Harden is at his peak with them. Bear in mind after they received 14 out of 15 video games final season and towards the Boston Celtics within the first spherical of the playoffs when it seemed just like the Nets tremendous staff was going to go 2017 Golden State Warriors on the NBA? No matter how Kyrie’s state of affairs performs out, a locked in and wholesome Harden spells hassle for the Warriors, Phoenix Suns, and another staff that feels it has a shot at an NBA Championship.