“We’re going to feel James Harden’s loss no matter what”: Kyrie Irving talks about the emotions he felt following the Nets superstar’s injury in Game 1

Kyrie Irving opened up about how he felt in the moments following James Harden’s injury in the first quarter and how the Nets regrouped. 

The Brooklyn Nets haven’t been able to string together a bevy of games where their ‘Big 3’ consistently stay on the floor for extended periods of time, throughout the entirety of this 2020-21 regular season. Even their two games in the latter half of the season against the Milwaukee Bucks came with James Harden sidelined due to a hamstring strain. 

Unlike those 2 games however, the Nets came out victorious without their point guard at the helm, despite the fact that Giannis Antetokounmpo had an incredibly efficient 34-point game. After James Harden left the game merely 43 seconds into the first quarter, the 4-man group of Joe Harris, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Blake Griffin stepped up big time on the offensive end of the floor.

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Kyrie Irving played second fiddle to Kevin Durant’s 29 points as he had his own 25 point and 8 assist game on 11-26 shooting from the field. Following the game, Kyrie opened up about the emotions that ran through the Nets players following James Harden’s injury. 

Kyrie Irving gets emotional talking about James Harden. 

Kyrie Irving broke down how the Nets and himself dealt with losing their floor general 43 seconds into Game 1 of perhaps the toughest series they would face, if they were to advance further. He talked about the Nets wanting to have fun while simultaneously playing at a high level. He also claimed that losing James Harden would be felt no matter what.

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Understandably so as having a player of James Harden’s caliber sit on the sidelines would be tough for any team. Bench boss Steve Nash said he was ‘heartbroken’ for the ‘Beard’ and that he does not know what his timetable is as of yet. 

Giannis’s co-stars Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton had well below average games last night and it should be expected that they would both bounce back in a major way in Game 2. if this were to happen and Harden is not yet ready to suit up, the Bucks will look to take advantage and try to tie the series up at 1 a piece.