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.
The Brooklyn Nets roster top to bottom is filled with All-Star appearances and accolades. However, this season the Nets have failed to put a fully healthy product on the court for most of the season.
In a season that has been riddled with long-term injuries and personal absences, the Nets three-headed monster of James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant has only played a total of seven games together. Fans are hoping that the ‘Big 3’ can play their eighth game together before the playoffs start.
KD has finally returned from a strained hamstring that sidelined him for much of the year, Nets fans are hoping that Kyrie has used up all his personal time off this season and the latest James Harden update proves that his return to the court could be happening sooner rather than later.
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James Harden Will Travel With Nets to Miami
James Harden will travel with the team to Miami for their game against the defending Eastern Conference Champion Heat on Sunday according to ESPN’s Malika Andrews.
“James Harden will travel with the team to Miami, Steve Nash said,” Andrews said via her Twitter account on Saturday.
“Harden is traveling because it will aid him in his rehab to workout with the training staff and other players — he isn’t expected to play against the Heat.”
Harden reaggravated a sore hamstring on April 5 during the Nets matchup with the New York Knicks. The 2018 NBA Most Valuable Player only played four minutes in the game as he could feel that something was not right. Further imaging revealed that he had strained his hamstring and the diagnosis was that he would need to sit out for at least 10 days before being re-evaluated.
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James Harden On Track to Return Soon
April 15 was the 10-day mark for Harden’s injured hamstring and so far, he is on the right track to return. Still, the Nets are in no way looking to rush him back onto the court as Brooklyn’s championship hopes hinges on the health of their three All-Stars.
“James is progressing well. He’s looking forward to having at least one or two play days, which means he’ll play four-on-four, five-on-five with the group in practice,” Nets General Manager Sean Marks said of Harden’s health via NetsDaily.
“Hopefully, if things go smoothly like that, he’ll be out and joining the guys in a game. He’s progressed well. He’s met his markers after this point. We’ll just continue to progress along and hopefully, it’s not too much longer.”
Top Seed Not a Priority for the Nets
The Nets are still fighting tooth and nail with the Philadelphia 76ers in hopes of acquiring the top seed. While it would be nice for the Nets to have the number one seed in the Eastern Conference since 2002, KD insists that it is not high on the team’s list of priorities.
“It’s not an emphasis for us,” Durant said of acquiring the number one seed via Kristian Winfield.
“We’re not coming in with the 1 seed circled on the whiteboard.”
With the wealth of talent that the Nets have on their roster it should come as no surprise that being top-seeded does not hold as much value as the health of their stars. Getting a win on the road in the playoffs will be a lot easier for Brooklyn than it will for other teams.
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