Former NBA player and Suns announcer Eddie A Johnson points out to James Harden finding himself in a situation similar to when he was in Houston.
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Injury woes continue to hold the Brooklyn Nets from performing to their best. NBA’s leading scorer Kevin Durant has been diagnosed with an MCL sprain, expected to miss 4-6 weeks. On the other hand, Kyrie Irving’s controversial anti-vaccination stance prohibits him from playing any home games.
Thus all the attention shifts to James Harden, who will have to do most of the heavy lifting for the team till at least KD returns. Harden had a rough start to the season, struggling from the field. In what many believe, the NBA’s latest anti foul-baiting rules played a factor in Harden’s slump lately.
However, his recent performances suggest he has found his groove back. The Beard is currently averaging 22.7 PPG, 10.0 APG, 8.0 RPG, and 1.4 SPG. However, his efficiency from the field continues to remain a cause of concern.
With Durant out for some time and Irving on a part-time basis, Harden becomes the focal point of the Nets. Familiar territory for the former Rockers superstar.
Eddie Johnson believes James Harden is dealing with a situation similar to when he played for the Houston Rockets.
With Durant out and Irving only available for road games, Harden will be running the offense for the Nets on most nights. Though this is not alien to Harden, it is something for which he forced his way out of Houston. It will be interesting to see the former MVP play like his days in Houston.
Harden’s stint with the Houston Rockets saw him emerge as a superstar. In his 9-seasons with the team, Harden won a league MVP, three scoring titles, and six All-NBA First Team selections. However, there was a consistent dip in Harden’s performances come playoff time.
Mike D’antoni’s system of playing basketball heavily relied on the individual skills of Harden. Despite having Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook as teammates, Harden could never get past the conference finals. Multiple reports of him having issues with his teammates would always surface in the media.
His ouster from Houston turned ugly, with him publicly stating he wanted out. The former Rockets guard believed he had done everything he could for the Houston franchise. His showing up out of shape post the off-season created a stir. Ultimately, Harden had his way in being traded to the Nets.
It seems Déjà vu all over again, with Harden once again being the orchestrator for the Nets offense.
It will be interesting to witness Harden become the scoring machine like his days in Houston.
