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The Brooklyn Nets have some wiggle room after taking a 2-0 lead over the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals. That means James Harden will sit again in Game 3.
Malika Andrews of ESPN reported Harden, who missed Game 2 with a hamstring injury, has been ruled out again for Game 3 on Thursday in Milwaukee. Jeff Green will also be inactive.
Nets head coach Steve Nash said both players “continue to show progress,” per Andrews.
Jeff Green and James Harden have been ruled out for Game 3 on Thursday against Milwaukee, Steve Nash says. Nash said both continue to show progress.
Green will play "sooner rather than later", per Nash.
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) June 9, 2021
The Nets have hardly appeared to need Harden through the first two games of the series.
Harden played less than a minute in Game 1 before the hamstring injury that caused him to miss time during the regular season flared up once again. No matter, the Nets rolled to an eight-point win behind 44 combined points from Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving as well as an inspired performance from Blake Griffin.
Brooklyn elevate to another level with Harden in Game 2. Durant poured in 32 points, and the Nets totally stifled Milwaukee's offensive attack. The lead reached 49 points late in the fourth quarter. It was one of the most embarrassing losses in the history of the Bucks franchise.
The Nets have already shown they can handle the Bucks without Harden on the floor. Especially considering Brooklyn already has a 2-0 series lead, it is far more important for Harden to rest up and not push a hamstring that has been bothersome in the past few months.
Milwaukee will surely make some adjustments heading into Game 3, but the Nets are confident the group they have can gain a series stranglehold on the Bucks.
