James Harden is going to try to play in a must-win Game 5 for the Brooklyn Nets despite nursing a bad hamstring. He could alter his playoff narrative should he help lead the Nets to a win.
James Harden will play in Game 5 on Tuesday barring any pregame setbacks after previously being ruled out. He can make a statement with a vintage performance.
Harden is one of the greatest players of this generation and a revolutionary offensive talent. He has also garnered a reputation as a player who has come up short when it matters most: the playoffs.
“The Beard” was unable to lead the Houston Rockets to the NBA Finals as one of the foremost stars in the NBA. The Rockets blew a 3-2 lead to the Golden State Warriors in the 2018 Western Conference finals, with Harden shooting 2-for-13 from beyond the arc in Game 7.
Houston had another chance to dethrone the Dubs the following year, especially after Kevin Durant went down with an injury. However, the Rockets lost Game 5 and Game 6, with Harden–despite putting up good numbers–puzzlingly looking passive in the fourth quarter.
When it comes to the importance of Tuesday's Game 5 in this Eastern Conference semifinal against the Milwaukee Bucks, though, the past is the past for James Harden.
There is no denying this is the biggest game in the history of the Brooklyn Nets franchise. Sure, the Nets have been in the NBA Finals before. Yet, the magnitude of this contest is heightened because of Brooklyn's “Big Three” and the fact the Nets have been deemed favorites to win the NBA title for some time now.
It also means more because of the trajectory of the series. The Nets dominated the Bucks in the first two games, only for Milwaukee to even the series by winning each of the next two. Harden missed Game 3 and Game 4, and things were looking dire when he and Kyrie Irving were ruled out. Suddenly, the Bucks had all the momentum.
Except, James Harden is determined to give his team a boost, regardless of Nets head coach Steve Nash suggesting the team wanted to be cautious with his hamstring.
Harden's willingness to play through a hamstring injury that has bothered him for months is no joke. He clearly understands the importance of this contest and can alter the complexion of the series if he plays up to his capabilities.
What will we make of James Harden if he asserts his will on the contest and gives the Nets a necessary boost? The Nets could take a 3-2 lead and snatch the momentum right back. What if they then ride that wave to the Eastern Conference finals and perhaps to an NBA title?
Basketball fans could well look back at Harden's performance in Game 5 as the moment his playoff legacy was altered forever.
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