The Brooklyn Nets currently have the best record in the Eastern Conference at 14-6. They have done well adjusting to life without NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving, who remains sidelined as he remains unvaccinated from COVID-19.
As long as he does not receive the vaccine, Irving will remain away from the team. Replacing one starter is hard enough, but the Nets are now going to be replacing a second one in Joe Harris.
Harris has missed the last six games with a left ankle injury. He is going to miss even more time now, as he is set to undergo surgery on his left ankle.
Harris will be sidelined for another four to eight weeks with the injury, which is a big blow for the Brooklyn Nets. Perimeter play and 3-point shooting are a big part of the team’s success this season and Harris has been at the forefront of that success.
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The former Virginia product is knocking down 46.6 percent of his 3-pointers this season as he is making 2.9 3-pointers per game out of his 6.3 attempts. He is second in the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage, trailing only teammate Patty Mills, who is making 50 percent of his attempts.
Brooklyn is going to struggle to fill Harris’s shoes in their rotation. While he doesn’t have gaudy stats, he plays an integral role in the offense with the floor spacing that he provides. His shooting ability draws attention away from Kevin Durant and James Harden, making things easier for them.
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In 30.2 minutes per game, Joe Harris has averaged 11.3 points to go along with four rebounds and one assist per game. Without him, LaMarcus Aldridge has been inserted into the starting five to help provide some more shooting and that is likely a decision Steve Nash will stick with for the foreseeable future.
