Getty Brooklyn's James Harden takes the ball as Kyrie Irving runs behind him in the second half against the Miami Heat at Barclays Center on January 23, 2021 in New York City.
Brooklyn Nets starting point guard Kyrie Irving made something very clear to eight-time all-star James Harden. Harden is the Nets’ point guard and Kyrie is the Nets’ shooting guard. It only makes sense as Harden currently leads the NBA in assists. Last night we saw the two All-Stars settle into their roles and as a result, the Nets operated like a well-oiled machine in a 136-125 victory over the Sacramento Kings. “The Beard” addressed the conversation he and Kyrie had about their roles after the win.
Harden Details He and Kyrie’s Point Guard Conversation
“I don’t know if we necessarily crossed a bridge that’s just how the game was going. That’s how he saw it and I saw it and I think from both of us we have no problem with it. At the end of the day, we’re both playmakers, we’re both scorers because at any point we both can get hot and get it going, and then we’re also unselfish to where we can make plays for our team,” Harden told reporters after Monday’s victory via SNY.
“At the end of the day, we’re both playmakers, we’re both scorers”
James Harden addresses the conversation him & Kyrie Irving had on Saturday on being the point guard & shooting guard
The scariest thing about James Harden is that even though he the reigning, defending three-time scoring champ, scoring is not the most lethal part of his game. His playmaking is. Harden has had five games of 14 assists or more since being traded to the Nets last month. “The Beard” leads the NBA in assists with 11.3 per game. The closest player to him is Dallas Mavericks’ star Luka Dončić with 9.4 per game. That’s right, Harden is the only player this season averaging double-digit assists.
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“For me as a player, I just try to get guys in their spots and make sure that I’m feeding everyone across the board. Obviously, now getting familiar with Kai a little bit more, I know his spots and where he likes the ball and we just let him go and be free and do what he does at a high level,” Harden said.
“He’s one of the best that this league has ever seen in doing that. And for myself just getting guys involved and playing the right way which I think we all do every possession so we’re both playmakers, we’re both scorers at the end of the day and we’re both unselfish and all we want to do is win.”
Kyrie Has Been on Another Level This Season
Kyrie Irving put on yet another show in the victory. He finished the game with 40 points on just 22 shots as he is still on pace to join to 50-40-90 club this season. Irving is shooting 53% from the field, 44% from three-point land, and 91% from the free-throw line. He is also top 10 in the NBA in points per game. Irving could be having the best season of his career and his backcourt co-star realizes how much of a privilege it is to have a front-row seat to greatness.
“It’s a movie, it’s like a show sometimes I forget I’m on the court. He makes it look so effortless, it’s one of the reasons why I’m here,” Harden said of Kyrie via SNY. And it’s so easy obviously for myself but he makes the game so easy for the rest of the team when he has it going like that. Obviously we’re scoring at a high level but he’s so unselfish once he gets starts getting double-teamed and surrounded, he’s able to find his shooters and his bigs so we love to see it. “
Harden, Irving, and the Nets have another big test coming up on their West Coast trip against Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. They will still be without their star forward Kevin Durant who is out with a hamstring strain. There is still a possibility that he can return for Thursday’s game against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
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