Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden had some struggles at the beginning of the 2021-22 NBA season. He was adjusting to a new role, balancing out being the team’s lead playmaker with Kyrie Irving sidelined and when to be an aggressive shot taker. In addition to the role change, Harden, was also still recovering physically.
Harden was hampered multiple times during the 2020-21 season with hamstring issues. He battled through them in the postseason with Irving sidelined but was clearly hampered.
Those lingering issues plagued him earlier in the season. He admitted that he was struggling to regain his form as he didn’t get to play much in the offseason as a majority of it was spent rehabbing his hamstring.
His body was not ready to handle the rigors of playing major minutes or big scoring nights.
LATEST NBA NEWS: Nets Hopeful Kyrie Irving Will Get Vaccinated In Near Future
However, that is no longer the case. James Harden is looking like he is in MVP form once again as he looks refreshed after spending some time in the league’s health and safety protocols.
“Yeah, that’s over with,” Harden said of his previous struggles, which saw him score fewer than 20 points in 12 of his first 23 games. “That’s over with.”
He has played in two games since testing out of protocols and has had monster performances. The Brooklyn Nets have been shorthanded, which has put more of an onus on him, but he has looked great picking up the slack.
LATEST NBA NEWS: Nets Hopeful Kyrie Irving Will Get Vaccinated In Near Future
In two games combined, Harden has 75 on 50 percent shooting from the field, 41.2 percent from the 3-point line and 81.8 percent from the foul line, going 18-of-22. He has grabbed 18 rebounds with 25 assists, three blocks and three steals as well to round out an impressive stat line.
“I was starting to feel good right before,” Harden said of when he entered the protocols on Dec. 14. “Like body starting to feel good. That break, or COVID, or protocol, or rest, whatever you want to call it, it could have went two ways. I just overly locked in on my body, my eating, and when I was able to start working out, my workouts.”
“I felt good, my body felt good.”
That’s bad news for the rest of the NBA that Harden is feeling good again. Teams were struggling to beat them already with only Kevin Durant being on top of his game.
LATEST NBA NEWS: Nets Hopeful Kyrie Irving Will Get Vaccinated In Near Future
The Brooklyn Nets had struggled against winning teams, as they have not yet defeated another team considered a contender. Alas, that will likely change given James Harden has turned a corner and the team is welcoming back Irving as a part-time player.
