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PHOENIX — After lacking two straight video games due to a hamstring harm and a proper hand pressure, Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden scored 22 factors in 37 minutes throughout a 121-111 loss to the Suns on Tuesday evening.
Harden admitted after the sport that he’s nonetheless coping with some ache within the hand however thinks he’ll be capable of play Wednesday evening in opposition to the Sacramento Kings.
“I could not transfer my hand, that is why I did not play the final sport,” Harden mentioned. “In any respect. However I can transfer it, I am taking part in.”
Harden went simply 6-for-19 from the sphere in Tuesday’s loss, the Nets’ fifth straight defeat. Harden mentioned the preliminary hand harm befell a pair weeks in the past, nevertheless it did not trigger him to overlook time till after the Nets flew to San Francisco and he awakened with discomfort within the hand early Saturday morning.
“It occurred in all probability just a few weeks in the past,” Harden mentioned of the harm. “Most likely two weeks in the past. Simply from falling, attending to the basket and hitting the bottom, so it was already hurting me, however I used to be simply taking part in by means of it. And I lifted weights the day earlier than the sport, earlier than we left on the street, and I in all probability simply irritated it or whatnot, in order that subsequent morning I awakened and I actually could not transfer my hand in any respect.
“It really woke me up fairly early. So I used to be simply calling the coach simply to determine what the hell was occurring, after which I obtained an MRI and it was a pressure so it is calmed down, I am again on the court docket, simply obtained to maintain going.”
Harden mentioned he would proceed to ice the hand “to maintain the swelling down” and take heed to the Nets coaching employees.
“I believed he regarded good,” Nets coach Steve Nash mentioned of Harden. “I feel it is a powerful task. They’re lengthy, a whole lot of two-way gamers, they usually take away his area — and with out Kevin [Durant] or Joe [Harris] on the market to attract extra consideration, it is rather a lot on him. However I believed he regarded good and did a whole lot of good issues and was near having an enormous sport, so, happy with his effort.”
Nets guard Kyrie Irving acknowledged that the Nets’ Large Three of himself, Harden and Durant take into consideration the truth that they have not performed a lot collectively “every day.”
Durant is at the moment out for no less than just a few extra weeks due to a sprained MCL in his left knee. And Irving, who shouldn’t be vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19, has performed in solely 9 street video games this season since rejoining the staff final month on a part-time foundation. He’s not in a position to play in Brooklyn’s dwelling video games due to the New York Metropolis vaccination mandate.
The Nets are 13-3 over the previous two years when the trio really performs collectively.
“To be sincere with you, I hate that I even need to reply that query,” Irving mentioned. “We give it some thought every day. It isn’t one thing that’s shortsighted for us. We take into consideration the long run and the way properly we jell collectively as a trio. And after we say as a trio we’re not excluding anyone else on the staff, however we simply know that the vitality runs by means of us, and after we’re flowing on the market and we’re taking part in — I feel James mentioned it final 12 months — there’s not a whole lot of groups that might be out on the ground with us that may match up very properly with us.
“That is simply the arrogance we now have in each other when all three of us are wholesome and we’re taking part in at a excessive stage. And we have solely performed just a few video games the place, I do not know if it is greater than 10 or something like that — nevertheless it’s positively on our want record, man. And we simply have to remain affected person and simply not lose that confidence that each one the items will come collectively on the proper time.”
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